What is requestAnimationFrame?

What is a requestAnimationFrame?

• A JavaScript method used to create animations that synchronized with the screen's refresh rate
• It tells the browser to call a specified function before the next repaint

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Benefits of using requestAnimationFrame?

• By letting the browser handle the timing, ensures smooth performance and reduces the risk of skipping frames 1
• Automatically adjust the frame rate based on device's performance, without you needing to manually control it 2
• It automatically pauses when the tab is not visible, saving resources and preventing unnecessary animations 3

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Compare with setInterval

• Executing at the specified interval without considering whether the browser is ready to render the next frame, potentially causing skipped frames 1
• Operates at a fixed rate and doesn't adapt to the user’s device 2
• Continues to run regardless of whether the tab is visible, which wastes CPU cycles and can lead to inefficient use of power and performance issues 3

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Compare with CSS animations

requestAnimationFrame	CSS animations
Requires writing JavaScript for each frame of the animation	Implement by defining CSS properties, run automatically. No need to manage frame updates
Automatically adjust the frame rate, pauses when the tab is not visible	Runs independently of the JavaScript engine. CSS animations may not pause as efficiently when the tab is not visible
Ideal for complex animations that involve multiple elements or need custom control over each frame	Best for simple, declarative animations like fading, scaling, rotating, and moving elements

That's it! Thank you for reading this far. Till next time!

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