What is the difference between throttling and debouncing?

What is the difference between throttling and debouncing?

Throttling and debouncing are both techniques used to control the rate of function execution. Throttling ensures a function is called at most once in a specified time period, while debouncing ensures a function is only called after a specified time has passed since the last call.

Can you give me an example of when to use each?

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

What are the performance implications of using these techniques?

Using throttling can improve performance by reducing the number of function calls, while debouncing can prevent unnecessary calls, especially in scenarios with rapid user input. Both techniques help optimize resource usage.

Are there any libraries that can help with implementing these?

Yes, libraries like Lodash provide built-in functions for both throttling and debouncing, making it easy to implement these techniques in your projects.