async vs bluebird
JavaScript Promise Libraries Comparison
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What's JavaScript Promise Libraries?

JavaScript Promise libraries enhance asynchronous programming by providing a more manageable and readable way to handle asynchronous operations. They allow developers to write cleaner code, avoid callback hell, and handle errors more effectively. These libraries extend the native Promise functionality, offering additional features such as concurrency control, cancellation, and more robust error handling mechanisms. Choosing the right library can significantly impact the maintainability and performance of your code, especially in complex applications that rely heavily on asynchronous operations.

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async61,074,80028,228808 kB66 months agoMIT
bluebird29,087,36020,448-1225 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: async vs bluebird

Control Flow

  • async:

    Async provides a variety of control flow functions such as series, parallel, and waterfall, allowing developers to easily manage the execution order of asynchronous tasks. This helps in organizing code and maintaining readability, especially for complex workflows.

  • bluebird:

    Bluebird focuses on promise chaining and allows for more complex control flows through its built-in methods like Promise.map and Promise.reduce, enabling developers to handle multiple asynchronous operations in a more structured way.

Error Handling

  • async:

    Async uses traditional callback error handling, which can lead to nested error checks. While it allows for error handling at each step, it can become cumbersome in larger applications.

  • bluebird:

    Bluebird offers a more robust error handling mechanism through promise rejections. It allows for centralized error handling using .catch() methods, making it easier to manage errors across multiple asynchronous calls.

Performance

  • async:

    Async is lightweight and performs well for simple use cases but may not be as optimized for heavy promise-based operations. Its performance is generally good for managing callbacks but can degrade with complex flows.

  • bluebird:

    Bluebird is designed for performance and can outperform native promises in many scenarios. It includes optimizations for common use cases and can handle large numbers of promises efficiently, making it suitable for high-performance applications.

Feature Set

  • async:

    Async focuses primarily on control flow and does not support native promise features like chaining or cancellation. It is best used for projects that do not require extensive promise functionalities.

  • bluebird:

    Bluebird offers a rich set of features, including cancellation, progress tracking, and utility functions for working with promises. This makes it a powerful choice for applications that require advanced promise capabilities.

Learning Curve

  • async:

    Async has a relatively low learning curve, especially for developers familiar with callback patterns. Its straightforward API makes it easy to integrate into existing codebases without significant changes.

  • bluebird:

    Bluebird may have a steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set and promise-based approach. However, once mastered, it provides powerful tools for managing asynchronous operations effectively.

How to Choose: async vs bluebird
  • async:

    Choose Async if you need a lightweight library focused on control flow and managing asynchronous tasks, especially when dealing with callbacks. It is suitable for projects that require simple concurrency patterns without the overhead of promises.

  • bluebird:

    Choose Bluebird if you require a comprehensive promise library with advanced features like cancellation, progress reporting, and performance optimizations. It is ideal for applications that need extensive promise chaining and error handling capabilities.

README for async

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)
})