Why setTimeout Returns an Object in Node.js (and Why setInterval Can Break Your App)

Node.js timers return objects instead of numbers because they represent real event-loop resources that influence process lifecycle. Unlike browser timers, Node.js must decide when to exit based on active resources. Timer objects expose ref() and unref() methods to control whether they keep the process alive. setInterval is riskier than setTimeout because it runs indefinitely and can prevent graceful shutdowns if not properly managed.