console.timeLog

By  on  

I work on a really complex debugger at Mozilla but, and don't tell my colleagues, I sometimes enjoy simply using console.log and other console commands to get some simple output.  I know, I know, but hey -- whatever gets the job done.  A few years ago I detailed console.time and console.timeEnd for measuring time for a given set of tasks; let me show you console.timeLog, a new function in Firefox Nightly for logging events during a console.time timer!

Start by kicking off the timer with a name of your choice:

console.time("MyApp");

Whenever you want the intermediate timer value, as well as extra information like variable or object values, you can use console.timeLog:

// Same timer name, provide sublabel and optional info
console.timeLog("MyApp", "constructor"); 
// MyApp: 4ms constructor

console.timeLog("MyApp", "render", this.state);
// MyApp: 2ms render Object { disabled: false }

When your timed tasks have completed, you can call console.timeEnd to stop the timer:

console.timeEnd("MyApp");
// MyApp: 10ms

Firefox has a Performance tab for very detailed performance metrics but, as always, the console is a great way to get some basic insight at a glance.  The timeLog function is an awesome way to get intermediate timing and information while your script runs!

Recent Features

  • By
    Introducing MooTools Templated

    One major problem with creating UI components with the MooTools JavaScript framework is that there isn't a great way of allowing customization of template and ease of node creation. As of today, there are two ways of creating: new Element Madness The first way to create UI-driven...

  • By
    Camera and Video Control with HTML5

    Client-side APIs on mobile and desktop devices are quickly providing the same APIs.  Of course our mobile devices got access to some of these APIs first, but those APIs are slowly making their way to the desktop.  One of those APIs is the getUserMedia API...

Incredible Demos

  • By
    Redacted Font

    Back when I created client websites, one of the many things that frustrated me was the initial design handoff.  It would always go like this: Work hard to incorporate client's ideas, dream up awesome design. Create said design, using Lorem Ipsum text Send initial design concept to the client...

  • By
    spellcheck Attribute

    Many useful attributes have been provided to web developers recently:  download, placeholder, autofocus, and more.  One helpful older attribute is the spellcheck attribute which allows developers to  control an elements ability to be spell checked or subject to grammar checks.  Simple enough, right?

Discussion

  1. MaxArt

    don’t tell my colleagues, I sometimes enjoy simply using console.log

    Don’t worry, your colleagues do the same too

    • MaxArt

      Hey, does your comment system not handle emojis? :(

  2. This was new to me, thanks! One other useful console command is console.table. Prints objects nicely to the console.

  3. Brad Kent

    So, does each call to console.timeLog reset the timer?
    If so, I wouldn’t call that an “intermediate” value

  4. Brad Kent

    And to answer my own question.. it appears no, timeLog() does not reset the timer.
    My confusion was due to the poor documentation on MDN’s site and your example where first call outputs 4ms, and the 2nd call outputs 2ms (2nd call’s output time should be greater than the first)

Wrap your code in <pre class="{language}"></pre> tags, link to a GitHub gist, JSFiddle fiddle, or CodePen pen to embed!