Can Cross-Browser Tab Focus Detection Be Achieved Reliably?

Reliable Cross-Browser Detection of Tab Focus

Problem:

It is often desirable to know when a browser tab has focus, especially for applications that perform tasks at regular intervals. For instance, in an application that periodically updates stock prices, suspending polling when the tab is not focused can save bandwidth and improve user experience. Can this be achieved in a reliable way across different browsers?

Solution:

Yes, the window.onfocus and window.onblur events provide a reliable method to detect tab focus changes.

Explanation:

• When the browser tab gains focus, the window.onfocus event is triggered.
• When the tab loses focus, the window.onblur event is triggered.

Implementation:

To use these events for detecting tab focus, you can add event listeners as follows:

<code class="javascript">window.onfocus = function() {
  // Tab has gained focus
};

window.onblur = function() {
  // Tab has lost focus
};</code>

Example:

In the context of the stock price monitoring application:

<code class="javascript">window.onblur = function() {
  stopPricePolling(); // Suspend polling when tab loses focus
};

window.onfocus = function() {
  startPricePolling(); // Resume polling when tab gains focus
};</code>

This implementation effectively pauses the polling when the tab is not active, ensuring optimal resource allocation and a smoother user experience.

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