Explain the difference between process.nextTick() and setImmediate() in Node.js
Instruction: Describe the differences and use cases of process.nextTick() and setImmediate() in Node.js.
Context: This question is designed to test the candidate's understanding of the Node.js event loop and the nuances of task scheduling with process.nextTick() and setImmediate().
Updated
Official answer available
Read the opening below, then unlock the full answer and practical guidance.
process.nextTick() queues work in Node's next-tick queue after the current JavaScript operation completes, before the event loop continues. It is not an event-loop phase. Recursively adding next-tick callbacks can starve I/O.
setImmediate() schedules a callback in the check phase, after polling. It yields to event-loop progression, but a long CPU-bound immediate callback still blocks the thread...