How to write asynchronous functions for Node.js

Question

I've tried to research on how exactly asynchronous functions should be written. After a lot of plowing through a lot of documentation, it's still unclear to me.

How do I write asynchronous functions for Node? How should I implement error event handling correctly?

Another way to ask my question would be this: How should I interpret the following function?

var async_function = function(val, callback){
    process.nextTick(function(){
        callback(val);
    });
};

Also, I found this question on SO ("How do I create a non-blocking asynchronous function in node.js?") interesting. I don't feel like it has been answered yet.

Answer 1

You seem to be confusing asynchronous IO with asynchronous functions. node.js uses asynchronous non-blocking IO because non blocking IO is better. The best way to understand it is to go watch some videos by ryan dahl.

How do I write asynchronous functions for Node?

Just write normal functions, the only difference is that they are not executed immediately but passed around as callbacks.

How should I implement error event handling correctly

Generally API's give you a callback with an err as the first argument. For example

database.query('something', function(err, result) {
  if (err) handle(err);
  doSomething(result);
});

Is a common pattern.

Another common pattern is on('error'). For example

process.on('uncaughtException', function (err) {
  console.log('Caught exception: ' + err);
});

Edit:

var async_function = function(val, callback){
    process.nextTick(function(){
        callback(val);
    });
};

The above function when called as

async_function(42, function(val) {
  console.log(val)
});
console.log(43);

Will print 42 to the console asynchronously. In particular process.nextTick fires after the current eventloop callstack is empty. That call stack is empty after async_function and console.log(43) have run. So we print 43 followed by 42.

You should probably do some reading on the event loop.

Answer 2

Just passing by callbacks is not enough. You have to use settimer for example, to make function async.

Examples: Not async functions:

function a() {
  var a = 0;    
  for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
    a++;
  };
  b();
};

function b() {
  var a = 0;    
  for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
    a++;
  };    
  c();
};

function c() {
  for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
  };
  console.log("async finished!");
};

a();
console.log("This should be good");

If you will run above example, This should be good, will have to wait untill those functions will finish to work.

Pseudo multithread (async) functions:

function a() {
  setTimeout ( function() {
    var a = 0;  
    for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
      a++;
    };
    b();
  }, 0);
};

function b() {
  setTimeout ( function() {
    var a = 0;  
    for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
      a++;
    };  
    c();
  }, 0);
};

function c() {
  setTimeout ( function() {
    for(i=0; i<10000000; i++) {
    };
    console.log("async finished!");
  }, 0);
};

a();
console.log("This should be good");

This one will be trully async. This should be good will be writen before async finished.

Answer 3

You should watch this: Node Tuts episode 19 - Asynchronous Iteration Patterns

It should answers your questions.

Answer 4

If you KNOW that a function returns a promise, i suggest using the new async/await features in JavaScript. It makes the syntax look synchronous but work asynchronously. When you add the async keyword to a function, it allows you to await promises in that scope:

async function ace() {
  var r = await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    resolve(true)
  });

  console.log(r); // true
}

if a function does not return a promise, i recommend wrapping it in a new promise that you define, then resolve the data that you want:

function ajax_call(url, method) {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    fetch(url, { method })
    .then(resp => resp.json())
    .then(json => { resolve(json); })
  });
}

async function your_function() {
  var json = await ajax_call('www.api-example.com/some_data', 'GET');
  console.log(json); // { status: 200, data: ... }
}

Bottom line: leverage the power of Promises.

Answer 5

Try this, it works for both node and the browser.

isNode = (typeof exports !== 'undefined') &&
(typeof module !== 'undefined') &&
(typeof module.exports !== 'undefined') &&
(typeof navigator === 'undefined' || typeof navigator.appName === 'undefined') ? true : false,
asyncIt = (isNode ? function (func) {
  process.nextTick(function () {
    func();
  });
} : function (func) {
  setTimeout(func, 5);
});