What are the performance impacts of throttling and debouncing in web applications?

What are the performance impacts of throttling and debouncing in web applications?

Throttling and debouncing are techniques used to optimize performance by controlling how often a function is executed. Throttling limits the number of times a function can be called over time, while debouncing ensures a function is only called after a certain period of inactivity.

Can you give me examples of when to use each technique?

Sure! Use throttling for events like scrolling or resizing, where you want to limit the frequency of function calls. Use debouncing for events like input fields, where you want to wait until the user has stopped typing before executing a function.

What are the potential downsides of using these techniques?

The downsides include potential delays in user feedback, especially with debouncing, which can make the application feel unresponsive. Throttling can also lead to missed events if the function is called less frequently than needed.

How can I implement these techniques in my code?

You can implement throttling using libraries like Lodash, which provides a throttle function. For debouncing, you can use the debounce function from the same library. Both functions allow you to specify the delay and the function to be executed.