diff --git a/1-js/06-advanced-functions/08-settimeout-setinterval/article.md b/1-js/06-advanced-functions/08-settimeout-setinterval/article.md index 6bf440ad..bf5122c2 100644 --- a/1-js/06-advanced-functions/08-settimeout-setinterval/article.md +++ b/1-js/06-advanced-functions/08-settimeout-setinterval/article.md @@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ For `setInterval` the function stays in memory until `clearInterval` is called. There's a side-effect. A function references the outer lexical environment, so, while it lives, outer variables live too. They may take much more memory than the function itself. So when we don't need the scheduled function anymore, it's better to cancel it, even if it's very small. ```` -## setTimeout(...,0) +## Zero delay setTimeout There's a special use case: `setTimeout(func, 0)`, or just `setTimeout(func)`. @@ -254,114 +254,12 @@ alert("Hello"); The first line "puts the call into calendar after 0ms". But the scheduler will only "check the calendar" after the current code is complete, so `"Hello"` is first, and `"World"` -- after it. -### Splitting CPU-hungry tasks +There are also advanced browser-related use cases of zero-delay timeout, that we'll discuss in the chapter . -There's a trick to split CPU-hungry tasks using `setTimeout`. +````smart header="Zero delay is in fact not zero (in a browser)" +In the browser, there's a limitation of how often nested timers can run. The [HTML5 standard](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/timers-and-user-prompts.html#timers) says: "after five nested timers, the interval is forced to be at least 4 milliseconds.". -For instance, a syntax-highlighting script (used to colorize code examples on this page) is quite CPU-heavy. To highlight the code, it performs the analysis, creates many colored elements, adds them to the document -- for a big text that takes a lot. It may even cause the browser to "hang", which is unacceptable. - -So we can split the long text into pieces. First 100 lines, then plan another 100 lines using `setTimeout(..., 0)`, and so on. - -For clarity, let's take a simpler example for consideration. We have a function to count from `1` to `1000000000`. - -If you run it, the CPU will hang. For server-side JS that's clearly noticeable, and if you are running it in-browser, then try to click other buttons on the page -- you'll see that whole JavaScript actually is paused, no other actions work until it finishes. - -```js run -let i = 0; - -let start = Date.now(); - -function count() { - - // do a heavy job - for (let j = 0; j < 1e9; j++) { - i++; - } - - alert("Done in " + (Date.now() - start) + 'ms'); -} - -count(); -``` - -The browser may even show "the script takes too long" warning (but hopefully it won't, because the number is not very big). - -Let's split the job using the nested `setTimeout`: - -```js run -let i = 0; - -let start = Date.now(); - -function count() { - - // do a piece of the heavy job (*) - do { - i++; - } while (i % 1e6 != 0); - - if (i == 1e9) { - alert("Done in " + (Date.now() - start) + 'ms'); - } else { - setTimeout(count); // schedule the new call (**) - } - -} - -count(); -``` - -Now the browser UI is fully functional during the "counting" process. - -We do a part of the job `(*)`: - -1. First run: `i=1...1000000`. -2. Second run: `i=1000001..2000000`. -3. ...and so on, the `while` checks if `i` is evenly divided by `1000000`. - -Then the next call is scheduled in `(**)` if we're not done yet. - -Pauses between `count` executions provide just enough "breath" for the JavaScript engine to do something else, to react to other user actions. - -The notable thing is that both variants -- with and without splitting the job by `setTimeout` -- are comparable in speed. There's no much difference in the overall counting time. - -To make them closer, let's make an improvement. - -We'll move the scheduling in the beginning of the `count()`: - -```js run -let i = 0; - -let start = Date.now(); - -function count() { - - // move the scheduling at the beginning - if (i < 1e9 - 1e6) { - setTimeout(count); // schedule the new call - } - - do { - i++; - } while (i % 1e6 != 0); - - if (i == 1e9) { - alert("Done in " + (Date.now() - start) + 'ms'); - } - -} - -count(); -``` - -Now when we start to `count()` and see that we'll need to `count()` more, we schedule that immediately, before doing the job. - -If you run it, it's easy to notice that it takes significantly less time. - -````smart header="Minimal delay of nested timers in-browser" -In the browser, there's a limitation of how often nested timers can run. The [HTML5 standard](https://www.w3.org/TR/html5/webappapis.html#timers) says: "after five nested timers, the interval is forced to be at least four milliseconds.". - -Let's demonstrate what it means with the example below. The `setTimeout` call in it re-schedules itself after `0ms`. Each call remembers the real time from the previous one in the `times` array. What do the real delays look like? Let's see: +Let's demonstrate what it means with the example below. The `setTimeout` call in it re-schedules itself with zero delay. Each call remembers the real time from the previous one in the `times` array. What do the real delays look like? Let's see: ```js run let start = Date.now(); @@ -378,79 +276,22 @@ setTimeout(function run() { // 1,1,1,1,9,15,20,24,30,35,40,45,50,55,59,64,70,75,80,85,90,95,100 ``` -First timers run immediately (just as written in the spec), and then the delay comes into play and we see `9, 15, 20, 24...`. +First timers run immediately (just as written in the spec), and then we see `9, 15, 20, 24...`. The 4+ ms obligatory delay between invocations comes into play. + +The similar thing happens if we use `setInterval` instead of `setTimeout`: `setInterval(f)` runs `f` few times with zero-delay, and afterwards with 4+ ms delay. That limitation comes from ancient times and many scripts rely on it, so it exists for historical reasons. -For server-side JavaScript, that limitation does not exist, and there exist other ways to schedule an immediate asynchronous job, like [process.nextTick](https://nodejs.org/api/process.html) and [setImmediate](https://nodejs.org/api/timers.html) for Node.js. So the notion is browser-specific only. +For server-side JavaScript, that limitation does not exist, and there exist other ways to schedule an immediate asynchronous job, like [setImmediate](https://nodejs.org/api/timers.html) for Node.js. So this note is browser-specific. ```` -### Allowing the browser to render - -Another benefit of splitting heavy tasks for browser scripts is that we can show a progress bar or something to the user. - -Usually the browser does all "repainting" after the currently running code is complete. So if we do a single huge function that changes many elements, the changes are not painted out till it finishes. - -Here's the demo: -```html run -
- - -``` - -If you run it, the changes to `i` will show up after the whole count finishes. - -And if we use `setTimeout` to split it into pieces then changes are applied in-between the runs, so this looks better: - -```html run -
- - -``` - -Now the `
` shows increasing values of `i`. - ## Summary - Methods `setInterval(func, delay, ...args)` and `setTimeout(func, delay, ...args)` allow to run the `func` regularly/once after `delay` milliseconds. - To cancel the execution, we should call `clearInterval/clearTimeout` with the value returned by `setInterval/setTimeout`. - Nested `setTimeout` calls is a more flexible alternative to `setInterval`. Also they can guarantee the minimal time *between* the executions. -- Zero-timeout scheduling `setTimeout(func, 0)` (the same as `setTimeout(func)`) is used to schedule the call "as soon as possible, but after the current code is complete". - -Some use cases of `setTimeout(func)`: -- To split CPU-hungry tasks into pieces, so that the script doesn't "hang" -- To let the browser do something else while the process is going on (paint the progress bar). +- Zero delay scheduling with `setTimeout(func, 0)` (the same as `setTimeout(func)`) is used to schedule the call "as soon as possible, but after the current code is complete". +- The browsere ensures that for five or more nested call of `setTimeout`, or for zero-delay `setInterval`, the real delay between calls is at least 4ms. That's for historical reasons. Please note that all scheduling methods do not *guarantee* the exact delay. We should not rely on that in the scheduled code. @@ -459,4 +300,4 @@ For example, the in-browser timer may slow down for a lot of reasons: - The browser tab is in the background mode. - The laptop is on battery. -All that may increase the minimal timer resolution (the minimal delay) to 300ms or even 1000ms depending on the browser and settings. +All that may increase the minimal timer resolution (the minimal delay) to 300ms or even 1000ms depending on the browser and OS-level performance settings. diff --git a/1-js/11-async/07-microtask-queue/article.md b/1-js/11-async/07-microtask-queue/article.md index 0ea6fef4..0ca603e3 100644 --- a/1-js/11-async/07-microtask-queue/article.md +++ b/1-js/11-async/07-microtask-queue/article.md @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ -# Microtasks and event loop +# Microtasks Promise handlers `.then`/`.catch`/`.finally` are always asynchronous. @@ -52,99 +52,15 @@ Promise.resolve() Now the order is as intended. -## Event loop - -In-browser JavaScript execution flow, as well as Node.js, is based on an *event loop*. - -"Event loop" is a process when the engine sleeps and waits for events. When they occur - handles them and sleeps again. - -Events may come either from external sources, like user actions, or just as the end signal of an internal task. - -Examples of events: -- `mousemove`, a user moved their mouse. -- `setTimeout` handler is to be called. -- an external ` ``` @@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ If we don't like it, we can either put the `dispatchEvent` (or other event-trigg alert(2); }; - document.addEventListener('menu-open', () => alert('nested')) + document.addEventListener('menu-open', () => alert('nested')); ``` diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/article.md b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/article.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c47ed4c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/article.md @@ -0,0 +1,339 @@ + +# Event loop: microtasks and macrotasks + +Browser JavaScript execution flow, as well as in Node.js, is based on an *event loop*. + +Understanding how event loop works is important for optimizations, and sometimes for the right architecture. + +In this chapter we first cover theoretical details about how things work, and then see practical applications of that knowledge. + +## Event Loop + +The concept of *event loop* is very simple. There's an endless loop, when JavaScript engine waits for tasks, executes them and then sleeps waiting for more tasks. + +1. While there are tasks: + - execute the oldest task. +2. Sleep until a task appears, then go to 1. + +That's a formalized algorithm for what we see when browsing a page. JavaScript engine does nothing most of the time, only runs if a script/handler/event activates. + +A task can be JS-code triggered by events, but can also be something else, e.g.: + +- When an external script ` +``` + +...But we also may want to show something during the task, e.g. a progress bar. + +If we use `setTimeout` to split the heavy task into pieces, then changes are painted out in-between them. + +This looks better: + +```html run +
+ + +``` + +Now the `
` shows increasing values of `i`, a kind of a progress bar. + + +## Use case: doing something after the event + +In an event handler we may decide to postpone some actions until the event bubbled up and was handled on all levels. We can do that by wrapping the code in zero delay `setTimeout`. + +In the chapter we saw an example: a custom event `menu-open` is dispatched after the "click" event is fully handled. + +```js +menu.onclick = function() { + // ... + + // create a custom event with the clicked menu item data + let customEvent = new CustomEvent("menu-open", { + bubbles: true + /* details: can add more details, e.g. clicked item data here */ + }); + + // dispatch the custom event asynchronously + setTimeout(() => menu.dispatchEvent(customEvent)); +}; +``` + +The custom event is totally independent here. It's dispatched asynchronously, after the `click` event bubbled up and was fully handled. That helps to workaround some potential bugs, that may happen when different events are nested in each other. + +## Microtasks + +Along with *macrotasks*, described in this chapter, there exist *microtasks*, mentioned in the chapter . + +There are two main ways to create a microtask: + +1. When a promise is ready, the execution of its `.then/catch/finally` handler becomes a microtask. Microtasks are used "under the cover" of `await` as well, as it's a form of promise handling, similar to `.then`, but syntactically different. +2. There's a special function `queueMicrotask(func)` that queues `func` for execution in the microtask queue. + +After every *macrotask*, the engine executes all tasks from *microtask* queue, prior to running any other macrotasks. + +**Microtask queue has a higher priority than the macrotask queue.** + +For instance, take a look: + +```js run +setTimeout(() => alert("timeout")); + +Promise.resolve() + .then(() => alert("promise")); + +alert("code"); +``` + +What's the order? + +1. `code` shows first, because it's a regular synchronous call. +2. `promise` shows second, because `.then` passes through the microtask queue, and runs after the current code. +3. `timeout` shows last, because it's a macrotask. + +**There may be no UI event between microtasks.** + +Most of browser processing is macrotasks, including processing network request results, handling UI events and so on. + +So if we'd like our code to execute asynchronously, but want the application state be basically the same (no mouse coordinate changes, no new network data, etc), then we can achieve that by creating a microtask with `queueMicrotask`. + +Rendering also waits until the microtask queue is emptied. + +Here's an example with a "counting progress bar", similar to the one shown previously, but `queueMicrotask` is used instead of `setTimeout`. You can see that it renders at the very end, just like the regular code: + +```html run +
+ + +``` + +So, microtasks are asynchronous from the point of code execution, but they don't allow any browser processes or events to stick in-between them. + +## Summary + +The richer event loop picture may look like this: + +![](eventLoop-full.png) + +The more detailed algorithm of the event loop (though still simplified compare to the [specification](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/webappapis.html#event-loop-processing-model)): + +1. Dequeue and run the oldest task from the *macrotask* queue (e.g. "script"). +2. Execute all *microtasks*: + - While the microtask queue is not empty: + - Dequeue and run the oldest microtask. +3. Render changes if any. +4. Wait until the macrotask queue is not empty (if needed). +5. Go to step 1. + +To schedule a new macrotask: +- Use zero delayed `setTimeout(f)`. + +That may be used to split a big calculation-heavy task into pieces, for the browser to be able to react on user events and show progress between them. + +Also, used in event handlers to schedule an action after the event is fully handled (bubbling done). + +To schedule a new microtask: +- Use `queueMicrotask(f)`. +- Also promise handlers go through the microtask queue. + +There's no UI or network event handling between microtasks: they run immediately one after another. + +So one may want to `queueMicrotask` to execute a function asynchronously, but also with the same application state. diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..20192e8c Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full.png differ diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full@2x.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full@2x.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cc960052 Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop-full@2x.png differ diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8d8210b0 Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop.png differ diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop@2x.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop@2x.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c02575e9 Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/eventLoop@2x.png differ diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7f4ca5f5 Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue.png differ diff --git a/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue@2x.png b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue@2x.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f1161783 Binary files /dev/null and b/2-ui/99-ui-misc/02-event-loop/promiseQueue@2x.png differ diff --git a/figures.sketch b/figures.sketch index 08c80d3e..925bab10 100644 Binary files a/figures.sketch and b/figures.sketch differ