docs(interval.js) alerting the developer

[joshkurz]

Many times $intervals are used inside of directives or controllers. If a directive/controller is destroyed, then the $interval should be destroyed as well. The interval created by this service does not have a way to track an associated $scope. This could cause some issues with developers who assume that the $interval will be cleared for them when the $scope is destroyed.

[joshkurz]

Does it make sense to allow for an optional $scope reference parameter to the $interval's constructor?
This way when the interval is running it could check if its $scope has been destroyed.

Or maybe there is a better way to monitor the specific context the $interval lives in.

or is it just good practice to always do this?

 $scope.$on('$destroy', function(x){
    $interval.cancel(intervalRef);
 });

“For setInterval, the completeness occurs on clearInterval. That may lead to memory leaks when the function actually does nothing, but the interval is not cleared.“ (http://javascript.info/tutorial/memory-leaks#setinterval-settimeout)

[petebacondarwin]

I agree that we need to highlight this to developers but coupling it to the scope is not ideal, since there are many times when you create an interval elsewhere. We just have to encourage them to manage it explicitly.