What are the best practices for using requestAnimationFrame?

What are the best practices for using requestAnimationFrame?

Using requestAnimationFrame is great for creating smooth animations. Here are some best practices: 1. Use it for animations that need to be synced with the display refresh rate. 2. Avoid heavy computations inside the callback to keep the frame rate high. 3. Use it to pause animations when the user navigates away from the page.

How does it compare to setTimeout or setInterval?

requestAnimationFrame is more efficient than setTimeout or setInterval for animations because it allows the browser to optimize rendering. It automatically adjusts to the display's refresh rate, leading to smoother animations.

Can I use it for non-animation tasks?

While requestAnimationFrame is primarily designed for animations, you can use it for tasks that require smooth updates, like game loops or visual updates, but it's not ideal for tasks that don't need to be synced with the display.

What happens if I call it multiple times?

If you call requestAnimationFrame multiple times, it will only execute the callback once per frame. The browser will batch the calls and run the callback at the next repaint, ensuring efficient rendering.