Ace the Asynchronous: Mastering Async/Await and Promises in Modern JavaScript

If you're a web developer, you'll understand the challenges of working with asynchronous JavaScript. Asynchronous code is code that runs outside the usual flow of execution. It can assist in handling data that loads slowly over the network, executing a series of complex animations, or even handling user inputs. While it's an incredibly useful tool, it can sometimes lead to complex code that can be difficult to debug and maintain if not written correctly.

To help you get the most out of your asynchronous JavaScript, this article will take a deep dive into the world of async/await and Promises. It will guide you through the most common use cases, best practices, and error handling techniques to make your code clean, efficient, and maintainable.

Understanding Asynchronous JavaScript

Asynchronous JavaScript executes code outside of the usual flow of execution. In simpler terms, after making an asynchronous request like network request, user input, or similar events that require time to yield answers, the JavaScript interpreter can move on to the next piece of code without waiting for a response.

Asynchronous code can be implemented using specific functions such as setTimeout(), setInterval(), or through an XMLHttpRequest callback, and libraries like jQuery or Node.js.

One of the most critical elements of asynchronous code is error handling, and it is essential to handle any exceptions that may occur while the code is executing. This type of error can be challenging to troubleshoot, and it can be much easier for developers to avoid it in the first place.

Working with Promises

Promises are a common way to manage asynchronous code. A Promise represents a value that may become available at some point in the future. Promises are a type of object to help handle chains of asynchronous code execution that can simplify asynchronous code loads, like handling errors and executing specific code.

Creating Promises

A Promise object can be created using the Promise constructor. The constructor function will take an executor function that provides two functions as arguments: resolve() and reject().

<script>
    const myPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      const isSuccessful = true;
      if (isSuccessful) {
        resolve("Success!");
      } else{
        reject("Failure.");
      }
    });

    myPromise
      .then(result => { console.log(result); })
      .catch(error => { console.error(error);  });
  </script>

In the example above, we create a new Promise using the Promise constructor. Within the executor function, we check if the operation was successful and call either resolve or reject depending on the result.

Once the Promise is created, we can use the .then() method to handle a successful response and the .catch() method to handle an error response.

Chaining Promises

Promise chaining is a technique that allows us to define a chain of Promises in a cleaner and more organized way. To chain Promises, you need to create a series of .then() methods that correspond to the order of the required tasks, and each .then() call should return a new Promise that is the result of the previous task.

<script>
    function request(url){
      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();

        xhr.onreadystatechange = () => {
          if (xhr.readyState === 4) {
            if (xhr.status === 200) {
              resolve(xhr.responseText);
            } else{
              reject("Error: " + xhr.status);
            }
          }
        };

        xhr.open("GET", url, true);
        xhr.send();
      });
    }

    request("https://api.example.com/data")
      .then(response => { return JSON.parse(response); })
      .then(data => { return data.items; })
      .then(items => { console.log(items); })
      .catch(error => { console.error(error); });
  </script>

In the example above, we create a function that returns a Promise object. The Promise object is responsible for sending a network request using the XMLHttpRequest object. If we receive a response with a status of 200, we resolve the Promise and return the response as text. If we receive a response with a different status, we reject the Promise and generate an error message.

Then, we chain multiple .then() methods to parse the JSON, extract the items array, and print it to the console using the console.log() method.

Finally, we handle any errors using the .catch() method, which is called if an error occurs at any point in the chain.

Async/Await

The async/await keywords provide a simpler and more concise way of working with asynchronous code than the older Promise-based APIs. These keywords are part of the ECMAScript 2017 specification. Async/await use Promises internally and provide a more straightforward way to write and manage asynchronous code that feels more like synchronous code, with the added benefit of good error handling support.

Using Async/Await

Async functions work by returning a Promise that is resolved with the value returned by the function. Instead of using the Promise.then() method, we use the await keyword that waits for the Promise to resolve before continuing execution. Using await inside of an async function allows us to write asynchronous code that looks like synchronous code.

<script>
    function getUser(id){
      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        setTimeout(() => {
          const user = { id: id, name: "John Doe" };
          resolve(user);
        }, 1000);
      })
    }

    async function fetchUser(id){
      try {
        const user = await getUser(id);
        console.log(user);
      } catch(error){
        console.error(error);
      }
    }

    fetchUser(123);
  </script>

In the example above, we define a function named getUser() that returns a Promise that waits one second before resolving. Then, we define an async function named fetchUser() that calls the getUser() function using the await keyword and logs the resulting user object to the console using the console.log() method.

We handle errors using a try/catch block within the async function.

Working with Multiple Async Calls

Using async/await with multiple async calls is simple, and each function with an await keyword makes the call and waits for the response before the script continues. Let's take a look:

<script>
    function getUser(id){
      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        setTimeout(() => {
          const user = { id: id, name: "John Doe" };
          resolve(user);
        }, 1000);
      })
    }

    function getPosts(user){
      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        setTimeout(() => {
          const posts = ["post1", "post2", "post3"];
          resolve({user: user, posts: posts});
        }, 2000);
      })
    }

    async function fetchUserPosts(userId){
      try {
        const user = await getUser(userId);
        const posts = await getPosts(user);
        console.log(posts);
      } catch(error){
        console.error(error);
      }
    }

    fetchUserPosts(123);
  </script>

The example above starts by defining two functions: getUser() and getPosts(). The getUser() function returns a Promise that resolves with a user object after a one-second delay. The getPosts() function returns a Promise that resolves with an object containing the user and an array of posts after a two-second delay.

The fetchUserPosts() function, defined as an async function, calls the getUser() function using the await keyword and then uses the resulting user object as an argument for the getPosts() function, also using the await keyword. Finally, it logs the resulting object to the console using console.log() method.

Try to avoid using await with an array of Promises, and instead, use Promise.all(). The Promise.all() method allows us to wait until many Promises resolve before continuing execution.

Error Handling

Asynchronous code can be challenging to debug, and it is essential to handle errors that may occur during execution. Promises and async/await provide built-in support for error handling.

Promises

To handle errors with Promises, we use the.catch() method. The.catch() method is called if an error occurs during the Promise's execution. If an error occurs in the Promise chain, the.catch() method will catch it and prevent it from aborting the application.

<script>
    request("https://api.example.com/data")
      .then(response => { return JSON.parse(response); })
      .catch(error => { console.error(error); });
  </script>

The example above calls the request() function to retrieve data from an API. The returned Promise is then chained to call a JSON.parse() method internally to convert the incoming data from JSON to JavaScript objects. If an error occurs during the process, the.catch() method will be called.

Async/Await

In async/await functions, we use a try/catch block to handle errors that may occur.

<script>
    async function fetchUser(id){
      try {
        const user = await getUser(id);
        console.log(user);
      } catch(error){
        console.error(error);
      }
    }
  </script>

The example above shows an async function called fetchUser() that calls the getUser() function using the await keyword. Any errors in the getUser() function will be caught using a try/catch block.

Conclusion

Asynchronous JavaScript can be challenging, but it is also one of the most powerful tools available to web developers today. Async/await and Promises create a concise, organized, and maintainable asynchronous code that improves your web application's performance while minimizing errors and improving error handling.

As you gain more experience working with asynchronous JavaScript code, you'll develop more advanced techniques for dealing with complex performance issues and better understand how they impact your web application.

Hopefully, with the information and techniques outlined in this article, you'll now feel more confident in working with asynchronous JavaScript code.