while loop or Thread.sleep()?

java game-engine timing frame-rate thread-sleep
Dominik Fuchs picture Dominik Fuchs · Apr 14, 2016 · Viewed 11.4k times · Source

I'm programming a game in Java and I limit the FPS to 60. I figured out 2 different ways to get the same result, but I'm wondering which of them is the better/cleaner way to do it. Or maybe you have a different idea.

while(System.nanoTime() - thisFrame < fps_limit);

or

Thread.sleep(sleepingTime);

My thinking is that the while loop effects the CPU more than Thread.sleep, am I right?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Dom

Answer

OldCurmudgeon picture OldCurmudgeon · Apr 14, 2016

You have the following main options:

  1. While loop - This will consume CPU cycles and often will actually stop the system because while you are looping, other threads cannot run (on a one-core machine).
  2. Thread.sleep() - This can be effective but you need to remember that is not guaranteed to wait the specified time.
  3. DelayQueue - More up-to-date. Better/accurate timing.
  4. ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor - Still more up-to-date than DelayQueue. Uses a Thread Pool.

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