Achieving Timer Accuracy Beyond setTimeout() in Javascript

Javascript's setTimeout() method often falls short in terms of accuracy, exhibiting unpredictable delays that can impact UI operations. As a result, developers may wonder if there are alternative approaches that provide more reliable timing capabilities.

The Impracticality of Exact Accuracy with setTimeout()

Unfortunately, achieving pinpoint accuracy with setTimeout() alone is a futile pursuit. Browsers are not designed to provide such precise timing. External APIs offer solutions, but they introduce additional dependencies and may not be ideal for all applications.

Leveraging the True Time for Precise Timing

Instead of relying solely on setTimeout(), developers can harness the real-time clock to determine when tasks should be executed. This involves setting up a callback with setTimeout(), but relying on Javascript's (new Date()).milliseconds method or its equivalents.

This approach exploits newer browsers' robust timer support while maintaining compatibility with older versions. Additionally, it eliminates the need for multiple timers, enhancing performance by avoiding callback competition.

Best Practices for Smooth UI Actions

To ensure smooth UI operations, developers should abandon designs that implement "one timer, one task." Instead, they should employ a single timer that handles all pending tasks within a specified interval. The combination of this approach and real-time clock data provides a more predictable and accurate timing mechanism, eliminating the need for brute force setTimeout() usage.