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Async utilities for node and the browser

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Top Related Projects

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:bird: :zap: Bluebird is a full featured promise library with unmatched performance.

14,940

A promise library for JavaScript

3,400

Promise queue with concurrency control

1,929

Run multiple promise-returning & async functions with limited concurrency

Promise packages, patterns, chat, and tutorials

Quick Overview

Async is a popular utility library for JavaScript and Node.js that provides powerful functions for working with asynchronous code. It simplifies the process of managing complex asynchronous operations, such as parallel execution, series execution, and flow control.

Pros

  • Simplifies complex asynchronous operations
  • Extensive collection of utility functions for various async scenarios
  • Well-documented and widely adopted in the Node.js community
  • Supports both Node.js and browser environments

Cons

  • Some users may find the API less intuitive compared to native Promises
  • Performance overhead for simple async operations
  • Large library size if only a few functions are needed
  • Some functions may become obsolete with advancements in native JavaScript async features

Code Examples

  1. Parallel execution of multiple async functions:
import async from 'async';

async.parallel([
  (callback) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Task 1');
      callback(null, 'Result 1');
    }, 1000);
  },
  (callback) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Task 2');
      callback(null, 'Result 2');
    }, 500);
  }
], (err, results) => {
  console.log(results); // ['Result 1', 'Result 2']
});
  1. Series execution of async functions:
import async from 'async';

async.series([
  (callback) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Task 1');
      callback(null, 'Result 1');
    }, 1000);
  },
  (callback) => {
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Task 2');
      callback(null, 'Result 2');
    }, 500);
  }
], (err, results) => {
  console.log(results); // ['Result 1', 'Result 2']
});
  1. Waterfall execution (passing results to next function):
import async from 'async';

async.waterfall([
  (callback) => {
    callback(null, 'Initial value');
  },
  (arg1, callback) => {
    console.log(arg1); // 'Initial value'
    callback(null, 'Result from second step');
  },
  (arg1, callback) => {
    console.log(arg1); // 'Result from second step'
    callback(null, 'Final result');
  }
], (err, result) => {
  console.log(result); // 'Final result'
});

Getting Started

To use Async in your project, first install it via npm:

npm install async

Then, import and use it in your JavaScript code:

import async from 'async';

async.parallel([
  (callback) => {
    // Your async task here
    callback(null, 'Result');
  },
  // More tasks...
], (err, results) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error(err);
  } else {
    console.log(results);
  }
});

Competitor Comparisons

20,444

:bird: :zap: Bluebird is a full featured promise library with unmatched performance.

Pros of Bluebird

  • Faster performance and better memory efficiency
  • More comprehensive Promise implementation with additional features
  • Better error handling and long stack traces for debugging

Cons of Bluebird

  • Larger library size, which may impact load times
  • Steeper learning curve due to more advanced features
  • Less focus on non-Promise-based asynchronous operations

Code Comparison

Bluebird:

Promise.map(items, item => {
  return processItem(item);
}).then(results => {
  console.log('All items processed:', results);
});

Async:

async.map(items, (item, callback) => {
  processItem(item, callback);
}, (err, results) => {
  if (err) console.error(err);
  else console.log('All items processed:', results);
});

Summary

Bluebird is a more comprehensive and performant Promise library, offering advanced features and better error handling. However, it comes with a larger footprint and steeper learning curve. Async, on the other hand, provides a simpler API for handling various asynchronous operations, including non-Promise-based ones, but may not offer the same level of performance or advanced Promise features as Bluebird.

The choice between the two depends on project requirements, performance needs, and developer familiarity with Promise-based programming. Bluebird excels in Promise-heavy applications, while Async may be more suitable for projects with diverse asynchronous operations or those transitioning from callback-based code.

14,940

A promise library for JavaScript

Pros of Q

  • Focuses on promises, providing a more modern and standardized approach to asynchronous programming
  • Offers a rich API for promise manipulation, including methods like all, spread, and delay
  • Provides better error handling and stack traces for asynchronous operations

Cons of Q

  • Steeper learning curve for developers not familiar with promises
  • May have slightly higher overhead compared to callback-based approaches
  • Less suitable for simple callback-based scenarios where Async might be more straightforward

Code Comparison

Q:

Q.fcall(function () {
    return "Hello";
})
.then(function (result) {
    console.log(result);
});

Async:

async.waterfall([
    function(callback) {
        callback(null, "Hello");
    },
    function(arg1, callback) {
        console.log(arg1);
        callback(null);
    }
]);

The Q example demonstrates promise-based flow control, while the Async example shows callback-based waterfall execution. Q's approach is more aligned with modern JavaScript practices, but Async's method might be more familiar to developers accustomed to Node.js-style callbacks.

3,400

Promise queue with concurrency control

Pros of p-queue

  • Modern Promise-based API, aligning well with current JavaScript practices
  • Lightweight and focused on queue management with concurrency control
  • Actively maintained with frequent updates and improvements

Cons of p-queue

  • More specialized, focusing primarily on queue functionality
  • Less comprehensive compared to async's wide range of utility functions
  • Steeper learning curve for developers accustomed to callback-based APIs

Code Comparison

p-queue:

import PQueue from 'p-queue';

const queue = new PQueue({concurrency: 2});
await queue.add(() => fetchSomething());
await queue.add(() => fetchSomethingElse());

async:

import async from 'async';

async.queue((task, callback) => {
  fetchSomething(task, callback);
}, 2);
q.push([task1, task2], (err) => {
  if (err) console.error(err);
});

Summary

p-queue offers a modern, Promise-based approach to queue management with a focus on concurrency control. It's lightweight and actively maintained but may have a steeper learning curve for some developers. async, on the other hand, provides a more comprehensive set of utility functions with a callback-based API, which might be more familiar to developers used to older JavaScript patterns. The choice between the two depends on specific project requirements and team preferences.

1,929

Run multiple promise-returning & async functions with limited concurrency

Pros of p-limit

  • Lightweight and focused on a single task (concurrency limiting)
  • Modern JavaScript syntax and Promise-based API
  • Smaller package size and fewer dependencies

Cons of p-limit

  • Limited functionality compared to async's extensive utility collection
  • Less mature and potentially less battle-tested in production environments
  • May require additional libraries for more complex asynchronous operations

Code Comparison

p-limit:

import pLimit from 'p-limit';

const limit = pLimit(2);
const input = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];

Promise.all(input.map(i => limit(() => fetchData(i))));

async:

import async from 'async';

const input = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];

async.mapLimit(input, 2, async (i) => {
  return await fetchData(i);
}, (err, results) => {
  // Handle results
});

Both libraries provide concurrency control, but p-limit focuses solely on this feature, while async offers a broader range of utilities. p-limit uses a more modern, Promise-based approach, which may be preferable for developers working with recent JavaScript features. async, on the other hand, provides a callback-style API that might be more familiar to developers working with older codebases or Node.js-specific projects.

Promise packages, patterns, chat, and tutorials

Pros of promise-fun

  • Focuses on modern Promise-based patterns, aligning with current JavaScript best practices
  • Provides a collection of small, focused utility functions for common Promise scenarios
  • Lightweight and modular, allowing developers to use only what they need

Cons of promise-fun

  • Less comprehensive than async, which offers a wider range of utility functions
  • May require more setup and configuration for complex workflows compared to async's all-in-one approach
  • Lacks some of the advanced features found in async, such as queue management and parallel execution control

Code Comparison

async example:

async.waterfall([
  function(callback) {
    callback(null, 'one', 'two');
  },
  function(arg1, arg2, callback) {
    callback(null, 'three');
  }
], function(err, result) {
  console.log(result);
});

promise-fun example:

import pWaterfall from 'p-waterfall';

const tasks = [
  () => Promise.resolve(['one', 'two']),
  ([arg1, arg2]) => Promise.resolve('three')
];

pWaterfall(tasks).then(result => {
  console.log(result);
});

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README

Async Logo

Github Actions CI status NPM version Coverage Status Join the chat at https://gitter.im/caolan/async jsDelivr Hits

Async is a utility module which provides straight-forward, powerful functions for working with asynchronous JavaScript. Although originally designed for use with Node.js and installable via npm i async, it can also be used directly in the browser. An ESM/MJS version is included in the main async package that should automatically be used with compatible bundlers such as Webpack and Rollup.

A pure ESM version of Async is available as async-es.

For Documentation, visit https://caolan.github.io/async/

For Async v1.5.x documentation, go HERE

// for use with Node-style callbacks...
var async = require("async");

var obj = {dev: "/dev.json", test: "/test.json", prod: "/prod.json"};
var configs = {};

async.forEachOf(obj, (value, key, callback) => {
    fs.readFile(__dirname + value, "utf8", (err, data) => {
        if (err) return callback(err);
        try {
            configs[key] = JSON.parse(data);
        } catch (e) {
            return callback(e);
        }
        callback();
    });
}, err => {
    if (err) console.error(err.message);
    // configs is now a map of JSON data
    doSomethingWith(configs);
});
var async = require("async");

// ...or ES2017 async functions
async.mapLimit(urls, 5, async function(url) {
    const response = await fetch(url)
    return response.body
}, (err, results) => {
    if (err) throw err
    // results is now an array of the response bodies
    console.log(results)
})

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