IsPaused

IsPaused is a boolean flag used in software to indicate that an entity's activity is temporarily halted while preserving its current state for later resumption. When isPaused is true, the entity typically stops progressing in its main work loop, suspends timers or scheduled tasks, and may alter its user-facing behavior to reflect a paused condition. When isPaused is false, normal operation resumes.

Common domains include media playback, animations, games, and task schedulers. In a media player, isPaused toggles between playing and paused states. In games, a global isPaused can freeze the game loop and physics while still allowing input and UI to function. In animation systems, isPaused stops transitions without resetting the animation position. In task schedulers, pausing may hold new work until resume.

Implementation considerations: isPaused should be thread-safe when accessed from multiple threads. Pausing should preserve internal state so that resuming yields a coherent continuation. It is distinct from isStopped or isCompleted, which imply termination or final state. Some systems implement pause as a soft state that merely gates progress, while others release scarce resources during pause.

Common patterns include explicit pause and resume operations, event-driven changes, and saving the paused state for persistence across sessions. Edge cases include timing drift after long pauses, and ensuring that any resource usage is properly managed while paused.

See also: paused state, play/pause, resume.