+ [Async Await](#async-await)

- [Sample code](#sample-code-6)

- [Explanation](#explanation-4)

- [External resources](#external-resources-7)

In addition to [Promises](#promises), there is a new syntax you might encounter to handle asynchronous code named *async / await*.

The purpose of async/await functions is to simplify the behavior of using promises synchronously and to perform some behavior on a group of Promises. Just as Promises are similar to structured callbacks, async/await is similar to combining generators and promises. ([Ref: MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/async_function))

*Async / Await* is built on promises but they allow a more imperative style of code.

An `await` expression causes `async` function to pause the execution, wait for promise to resolve, and then resume the execution once the value is resolved. Any `async` function returns the `Promise`, and will be resolved to returned value.

async function getGithubUser(handle) { // async keyword allows usage of await in the function and means function returns a promise

try { // this is how errors are handled with async / await

const url = `https://api.github.com/users/${handle}`;

const response = await fetch(url); // "synchronously" waiting fetch promise to resolve before going to next line

return response.json();

} catch (err) {

alert(err);

}

}

getGithubUser('mbeaudru').then(user => console.log(user)); // logging user response - cannot use await syntax since this code isn't in async function

- [Async/Await - JavaScript.Info](https://javascript.info/async-await)

- [ES7 Async/Await](http://rossboucher.com/await/#/)

- [6 Reasons Why JavaScript’s Async/Await Blows Promises Away](https://hackernoon.com/6-reasons-why-javascripts-async-await-blows-promises-away-tutorial-c7ec10518dd9)

- [JavaScript awaits](https://dev.to/kayis/javascript-awaits)

- [Using Async Await in Express with Node 8](https://medium.com/@Abazhenov/using-async-await-in-express-with-node-8-b8af872c0016)

- [Async Function](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/async_function)

- [Await](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/await)