What is requestAnimationFrame and how is it related to the Event Loop?

requestAnimationFrame is a browser API that schedules a function call before the next screen repaint, usually at about 60 frames per second. This allows animations to be synchronized with the screen refresh, making them smooth and efficient.

Connection with the Event Loop:

• When requestAnimationFrame(callback) is called, the browser queues the callback to be executed before the next render.
• In the event loop, after processing all current tasks and microtasks, the browser executes the deferred requestAnimationFrame functions.
• This guarantees that the animation updates exactly when the browser is ready to repaint the screen, avoiding unnecessary repaints and improving performance.

Example usage:

function animate(time) {
  // update animation state
  // draw frame
  requestAnimationFrame(animate);
}
requestAnimationFrame(animate);