async/await implicitly returns promise?

Javascriptnode.jsAsync AwaitEcmascript Next

Javascript Problem Overview


I read that async functions marked by the async keyword implicitly return a promise:

async function getVal(){
 return await doSomethingAync();
}

var ret = getVal();
console.log(ret);

but that is not coherent...assuming doSomethingAsync() returns a promise, and the await keyword will return the value from the promise, not the promise itsef, then my getVal function should return that value, not an implicit promise.

So what exactly is the case? Do functions marked by the async keyword implicitly return promises or do we control what they return?

Perhaps if we don't explicitly return something, then they implicitly return a promise...?

To be more clear, there is a difference between the above and

function doSomethingAync(charlie) {
    return new Promise(function (resolve) {
        setTimeout(function () {
            resolve(charlie || 'yikes');
        }, 100);
    })
}

async function getVal(){
   var val = await doSomethingAync();  // val is not a promise
   console.log(val); // logs 'yikes' or whatever
   return val;  // but this returns a promise
}

var ret = getVal();
console.log(ret);  //logs a promise

In my synopsis the behavior is indeed inconsistent with traditional return statements. It appears that when you explicitly return a non-promise value from an async function, it will force wrap it in a promise. I don't have a big problem with it, but it does defy normal JS.

Javascript Solutions


Solution 1 - Javascript

The return value will always be a promise. If you don't explicitly return a promise, the value you return will automatically be wrapped in a promise.

async function increment(num) {
  return num + 1;
}

// Even though you returned a number, the value is
// automatically wrapped in a promise, so we call
// `then` on it to access the returned value.
//
// Logs: 4
increment(3).then(num => console.log(num));

Same thing even if there's no return! (Promise { undefined } is returned)

async function increment(num) {}

Same thing even if there's an await.

function defer(callback) {
  return new Promise(function(resolve) {
    setTimeout(function() {
      resolve(callback());
    }, 1000);
  });
}

async function incrementTwice(num) {
  const numPlus1 = await defer(() => num + 1);
  return numPlus1 + 1;
}

// Logs: 5
incrementTwice(3).then(num => console.log(num));

Promises auto-unwrap, so if you do return a promise for a value from within an async function, you will receive a promise for the value (not a promise for a promise for the value).

function defer(callback) {
  return new Promise(function(resolve) {
    setTimeout(function() {
      resolve(callback());
    }, 1000);
  });
}

async function increment(num) {
  // It doesn't matter whether you put an `await` here.
  return defer(() => num + 1);
}

// Logs: 4
increment(3).then(num => console.log(num));

> In my synopsis the behavior is indeed inconsistent with traditional > return statements. It appears that when you explicitly return a > non-promise value from an async function, it will force wrap it in a > promise. I don't have a big problem with it, but it does defy normal > JS.

ES6 has functions which don't return exactly the same value as the return. These functions are called generators.

function* foo() {
  return 'test';
}

// Logs an object.
console.log(foo());

// Logs 'test'.
console.log(foo().next().value);

Solution 2 - Javascript

I took a look at the spec and found the following information. The short version is that an async function desugars to a generator which yields Promises. So, yes, async functions return promises.

According to the tc39 spec, the following is true:

async function <name>?<argumentlist><body>

Desugars to:

function <name>?<argumentlist>{ return spawn(function*() <body>, this); }

Where spawn "is a call to the following algorithm":

function spawn(genF, self) {
    return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
        var gen = genF.call(self);
        function step(nextF) {
            var next;
            try {
                next = nextF();
            } catch(e) {
                // finished with failure, reject the promise
                reject(e);
                return;
            }
            if(next.done) {
                // finished with success, resolve the promise
                resolve(next.value);
                return;
            }
            // not finished, chain off the yielded promise and `step` again
            Promise.resolve(next.value).then(function(v) {
                step(function() { return gen.next(v); });
            }, function(e) {
                step(function() { return gen.throw(e); });
            });
        }
        step(function() { return gen.next(undefined); });
    });
}

Solution 3 - Javascript

Your question is: If I create an async function should it return a promise or not? Answer: just do whatever you want and Javascript will fix it for you.

Suppose doSomethingAsync is a function that returns a promise. Then

async function getVal(){
    return await doSomethingAsync();
}

is exactly the same as

async function getVal(){
    return doSomethingAsync();
}

You probably are thinking "WTF, how can these be the same?" and you are right. The async will magically wrap a value with a Promise if necessary.

Even stranger, the doSomethingAsync can be written to sometimes return a promise and sometimes NOT return a promise. Still both functions are exactly the same, because the await is also magic. It will unwrap a Promise if necessary but it will have no effect on things that are not Promises.

Solution 4 - Javascript

Just add await before your function when you call it :

var ret = await  getVal();
console.log(ret);

Solution 5 - Javascript

async doesn't return the promise, the await keyword awaits the resolution of the promise. async is an enhanced generator function and await works a bit like yield

I think the syntax (I am not 100% sure) is

async function* getVal() {...}

ES2016 generator functions work a bit like this. I have made a database handler based in top of tedious which you program like this

db.exec(function*(connection) {
  if (params.passwd1 === '') {
    let sql = 'UPDATE People SET UserName = @username WHERE ClinicianID = @clinicianid';
    let request = connection.request(sql);
    request.addParameter('username',db.TYPES.VarChar,params.username);
    request.addParameter('clinicianid',db.TYPES.Int,uid);
    yield connection.execSql();
  } else {
    if (!/^\S{4,}$/.test(params.passwd1)) {
      response.end(JSON.stringify(
        {status: false, passwd1: false,passwd2: true}
      ));
      return;
    }
    let request = connection.request('SetPassword');
    request.addParameter('userID',db.TYPES.Int,uid);
    request.addParameter('username',db.TYPES.NVarChar,params.username);
    request.addParameter('password',db.TYPES.VarChar,params.passwd1);
    yield connection.callProcedure();
  }
  response.end(JSON.stringify({status: true}));

}).catch(err => {
  logger('database',err.message);
  response.end(JSON.stringify({status: false,passwd1: false,passwd2: false}));
});

Notice how I just program it like normal synchronous particularly at

yield connection.execSql and at yield connection.callProcedure

The db.exec function is a fairly typical Promise based generator

exec(generator) {
  var self = this;
  var it;
  return new Promise((accept,reject) => {
    var myConnection;
    var onResult = lastPromiseResult => {
      var obj = it.next(lastPromiseResult);
      if (!obj.done) {
        obj.value.then(onResult,reject);
      } else {
       if (myConnection) {
          myConnection.release();
        }
        accept(obj.value);
      }
    };
    self._connection().then(connection => {
      myConnection = connection;
      it = generator(connection); //This passes it into the generator
      onResult();  //starts the generator
    }).catch(error => {
      reject(error);
    });
  });
}

Attributions

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Content TypeOriginal AuthorOriginal Content on Stackoverflow
QuestionAlexander MillsView Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - JavascriptNathan WallView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - JavascriptJon SurrellView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - JavascriptJohn HenckelView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Javascriptmohsen gharivandView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Javascriptakc42View Answer on Stackoverflow