CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptnode.jspromiseasync-awaites6-promise
MauricioRobayo
MauricioRobayo

Reputation: 2356

Are async functions just for IO blocking operations?

I have some functions that do a lot of calculations with data and arrays but all in memory, it does not do any IO. I've been reading trying to get into nodejs, I was wondering if there is any benefit on making then async? For example, function a:

function a(b, c, d) {
  // a lot of operations with arrays
  return value;
}

Does it make any sense to return a promise in this case if it does not involve any IO blocking operation? For example:

function a(b, c, d) {
  return new Promise(resolve, reject) {
    // a lot of operations with arrays
    resolve(value);
  }
}

Is there any improvement in using promises in this case or am I only overcomplicating this and should just return the value and not a promise?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 757

Answers (2)

Jaromanda X
Jaromanda X

Reputation: 1

You can do the lot of operations with arrays in "batches" to avoid "blocking" other execution - the following is "pseudo" code in that you haven't shown what // a lot of operations with arrays actually is ... so

function a(b, c, d) {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        function processBatch() {
            // do some operations with arrays
            if (error) {
                reject(error);
            } else if (needToProcessMore) {
                setImmediate(processBatch);
            } else {
                resolve(someResult);
            }
        }
        setImmediate(processBatch);
    });
}

Alternatively, (though I've never used them myself) there are "thread" and "thread worker" type libraries available for node

Upvotes: 1

CertainPerformance
CertainPerformance

Reputation: 370789

No, async functions are only syntax sugar on top of promises. If your function doesn't actually have any asynchronous operations (like a network request), it will keep executing synchronously and will resolve synchronously, so it'll be no different from an ordinary function.

Javascript is single-threaded.

Upvotes: 4

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