What is the difference between setInterval and setTimeout in JavaScript?

Understanding the Distinction Between 'setInterval' and 'setTimeout'

The JavaScript functions 'setInterval' and 'setTimeout' serve distinct purposes in managing time intervals. Let's delve into the key difference between them:

setInterval vs. setTimeout

'setInterval' and 'setTimeout' differ primarily in their execution frequency.

• setTimeout: Executes a specified code or function once after a set time interval.
• setInterval: Executes a code or function repeatedly at predefined intervals, indefinitely or until cleared.

Example Code

Consider these code examples to illustrate their functionality:

var intervalID = setInterval(alert, 1000); // Alert every second
// You can clear the interval later: clearInterval(intervalID);

setTimeout(alert, 1000); // Alert once, after a second

In the 'setInterval' example, the alert function will continue to be executed every second. In contrast, 'setTimeout' will trigger the alert only once, after the specified delay of 1000 milliseconds (1 second).

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