advanceFrame

AdvanceFrame is a term used in computer graphics and interactive applications to refer to advancing the program’s state to the next rendered frame. It can denote a function, method, or mechanism that progresses a simulation or animation by one frame, typically by updating all relevant systems before drawing.

In animation and game development, advanceFrame is used to move the timeline forward, applying updates to physics, AI, animations, particle effects, and user interface state, followed by rendering. It supports playback controls such as play, pause, loop, and speed adjustments, and is common in editors and playback engines for frame-precise control. The concept also appears in tools that scrub timelines or step through animations for debugging or content creation.

Mechanics: the function often receives a time step (deltaTime) or uses a fixed timestep. It updates the simulation by one step, handles interpolation if rendering at a different rate, and then issues a draw call. In deterministic simulations, advancing by fixed steps helps ensure repeatable results. Some implementations separate update (simulation) and render (drawing) phases, using advanceFrame to trigger the update phase and then render.

Implementation considerations: drift between physics and rendering can occur if delta time accumulates; many engines split time into fixed substeps and interpolate renders. Threading, input handling, and resource management are important, especially in real-time applications. Proper time stepping and synchronization are central to reliable frame advancement.

See also: frame rate, delta time, time stepping, requestAnimationFrame, tick, game loop.