The Difference Between Web and Service Workers

In JavaScript, you have different kind of workers. They make it possible to use and run heavy scripts in a background thread without causing the site to freeze.

Because they are running in a thread different from the main thread, you can't directly manipulate and interact with the DOM from them. Instead, you can send data to and from a worker. To spawn a new worker, use the new keyword:

const worker = new Worker('worker.js');

Service workers, on the other hand, are a type of web workers. They are useful for modifying responses from network requests. They basically act as proxies. They are used for building offline apps. You can register a service worker using the register method:

navigator.serviceWorker.register('sw.js');

If you would like to learn more about service worksers and handling offline state, make sure to check out the tutorial below:

Going Offline With Service WorkersReaching users when connections are non-existentThe number of internet users are constantly growing. Connections for most are unreliable. Service workers can help you cater for them...Learn More

50 JavaScript Interview QuestionsAnd their answers explainedHere are 50 JavaScript interview questions that often come up during a technical interview. In one place, one resource to learn from.Learn More

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Resources:

• Using Web Workers in JavaScript
• Service Worker API