Useful JS Helper Functions

Debounce

// Try with scroll, resize, key up/down/etc
// Returns a function, that, as long as it continues to be invoked, will not
// be triggered. The function will be called after it stops being called for
// N milliseconds. If `immediate` is passed, trigger the function on the
// leading edge, instead of the trailing.
function debounce(func, wait, immediate) {
	var timeout;
	return function() {
		var context = this, args = arguments;
		var later = function() {
			timeout = null;
			if (!immediate) func.apply(context, args);
		};
		var callNow = immediate && !timeout;
		clearTimeout(timeout);
		timeout = setTimeout(later, wait);
		if (callNow) func.apply(context, args);
	};
};

// Usage
var myEfficientFn = debounce(function() {
	// All the taxing stuff you do
}, 250);
window.addEventListener('resize', myEfficientFn);

Fire Once

// function can only fire once
function once(fn, context) { 
	var result;

	return function() { 
		if(fn) {
			result = fn.apply(context || this, arguments);
			fn = null;
		}

		return result;
	};
}

// Usage
var canOnlyFireOnce = once(function() {
	console.log('Fired!');
});

canOnlyFireOnce(); // "Fired!"
canOnlyFireOnce(); // nada

Get Absolute URL helper

// Get absolute URL
var getAbsoluteUrl = (function() {
	var a;

	return function(url) {
		if(!a) a = document.createElement('a');
		a.href = url;

		return a.href;
	};
})();

// Usage
getAbsoluteUrl('/something');
// returns http://andrewpierno.com/something

State Polling

// Check for desired state by polling
function poll(fn, callback, errback, timeout, interval) {
    var endTime = Number(new Date()) + (timeout || 2000);
    interval = interval || 100;

    (function p() {
            // If the condition is met, we're done! 
            if(fn()) {
                callback();
            }
            // If the condition isn't met but the timeout hasn't elapsed, go again
            else if (Number(new Date()) < endTime) {
                setTimeout(p, interval);
            }
            // Didn't match and too much time, reject!
            else {
                errback(new Error('timed out for ' + fn + ': ' + arguments));
            }
    })();
}

// Usage:  ensure element is visible
poll(
    function() {
        return document.getElementById('lightbox').offsetWidth > 0;
    },
    function() {
        // Done, success callback
    },
    function() {
        // Error, failure callback
    }
);