In this basic debounce implementation, what is the purpose of the clearTimeout call before setting a new timeout?
function debounce(func, wait) {
let timeout;
return function executedFunction(...args) {
const later = () => {
clearTimeout(timeout);
func(...args);
};
clearTimeout(timeout);
timeout = setTimeout(later, wait);
};
}
The clearTimeout call serves an important purpose in debounce implementation: 1) It cancels any previously scheduled function execution, 2) This ensures that rapid successive calls don't result in multiple executions, 3) It resets the delay period, starting a fresh countdown, 4) Without this, multiple timeouts could queue up, leading to unexpected behavior, 5) This pattern ensures only one execution occurs after the final event in a series, 6) It's crucial for maintaining the debounce contract of waiting for event quiescence, 7) This approach prevents memory leaks from accumulated timeouts, 8) It's a fundamental aspect of debounce's event coalescing behavior.