public interface Scheduler {

    //--- General operation ---

    // Terminates the scheduler:
    void shutdown() throws Exception;

    //--- Execute a runnable in another thread ---

    // Immediately executes a {@code Runnable} in the worker thread pool:
    void execute(Runnable runnable);

    // Executes the Runnable in a newly-created thread:
    Thread startThread(String name, boolean daemon, Runnable runnable);

    //--- Scheduled callbacks ---

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed "delay" number of msec in the future:
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallback(Runnable command, long delay);

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed in the future after some number of random msec:
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallback(Runnable command, long delay, double min, double max);

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed at the specified Date:
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallback(Runnable command, Date date);

    //--- Recurring callbacks ---

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed on a recurring basis (option 1):
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallbackAtFixedRate(Runnable command, long initialDelay, long period);

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed on a recurring basis (option 2):
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallbackAtFixedRate(Runnable command, Date date, long period);

    // Schedules a Runnable that is executed on a recurring basis (option 3):
    ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleCallbackWithFixedDelay(Runnable command, long initialDelay, long delay);

    //--- Convenience ---

    // Wrapper for Thread.sleep() with default exception handling:
    void sleep(long msec);

    //--- Executor services and thread factory ---

    // Returns the *primary* worker thread pool executor:
    ExecutorService getWorkerThreadPool();

    // Returns the *scheduled* thread pool executor:
    ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor getScheduledThreadPool();

    // Returns a ThreadFactory that names new threads based on the provided "name":
    ThreadFactory getNamedThreadFactory(String name);
}