Window.setImmediate()

This method is used to break up long running operations and run a callback function immediately after the browser has completed other operations such as events and display updates.

Syntax

var immediateID = setImmediate(func, [param1, param2, ...]);
var immediateID = setImmediate(func);

• where immediateID is the ID of the immediate which can be used later with window.clearImmediate.
• func is the function you wish to call.

All parameters will be passed directly to your function.

Notes

The clearImmediate method can be used to clear the immediate actions, just like clearTimeout for setTimeout().

This method can be used instead of the setTimeout(fn, 0) method to execute heavy operations.

The feature can be emulated in a few different ways:

• postMessage can be used to trigger an immediate but yielding callback. Do note that Internet Explorer 8 includes a synchronous version of postMessage, which means it cannot be used as a fallback.
• MessageChannel can be used reliably inside of Web Workers whereas the semantics of postMessage mean it cannot be used there.
• setTimeout(fn, 0) can potentially be used, however as it is clamped to 4ms for timers nested more than 5 levels deep per the HTML spec, it does not make for a suitable polyfill for the natural immediacy of setImmediate.

All of these techniques are incorporated into a robust setImmediate polyfill.

Specifications

Not part of any current specifications. The Efficient Script Yielding specification is no longer being worked on.

Browser compatibility

See also

• A polyfill of setImmediate is available in core-js
• Window.clearImmediate()
• Microsoft setImmediate API Demo