---
title: "Request Async/Await Patterns for Node.js"
description: "Get proper asynchronous code patterns for Node.js applications"
category: "tips-tricks"
tags: ["nodejs", "async-await", "promises", "asynchronous", "javascript"]
tech_stack: ["nodejs", "javascript", "typescript"]
---

Using **async/await** in Node.js can really improve how you read and maintain your code. It helps eliminate the messy callback structure and makes error handling simpler. Let’s walk through how to implement async/await in your Node.js applications.

1. **Start with an async function** where you plan to handle asynchronous tasks.
   ```javascript
   async function fetchData() {
   ```
   
2. **Add `await`** before any Promise-based API calls. This pauses the execution until the Promise resolves.
   ```javascript
       const data = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
   ```

3. **Use a try-catch block** to catch any errors and handle them smoothly.
   ```javascript
       try {
           const jsonData = await data.json();
           console.log(jsonData);
       } catch (error) {
           console.error('Error fetching data:', error);
       }
   ```

4. **Execute your async function** to run the code.
   ```javascript
   fetchData();
   ```

5. **Check your console** for the fetched data or any error messages.

What you should expect: You’ll see the fetched data logged in the console, or you’ll receive an error message if something goes wrong.

### Why It Works
Async/await allows you to write asynchronous code in a way that feels more synchronous, making it easier to follow and maintain. This pattern shines when you’re handling multiple asynchronous tasks or need to manage errors effectively.

### Quick Examples
- **Example 1: Fetching user data**
  - Before:
    ```javascript
    fetch('https://api.example.com/user', (err, res) => {
        if (err) console.error(err);
        else console.log(res);
    });
    ```
  - After:
    ```javascript
    async function getUser() {
        try {
            const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/user');
            const user = await response.json();
            console.log(user);
        } catch (error) {
            console.error('Error:', error);
        }
    }
    getUser();
    ```

- **Example 2: Reading a file**
  - Before:
    ```javascript
    fs.readFile('file.txt', (err, data) => {
        if (err) throw err;
        console.log(data.toString());
    });
    ```
  - After:
    ```javascript
    const fs = require('fs').promises;
    async function readFile() {
        try {
            const data = await fs.readFile('file.txt');
            console.log(data.toString());
        } catch (error) {
            console.error('Error:', error);
        }
    }
    readFile();
    ```

### Common Mistakes
- **Don’t use `await` outside an async function**: Make sure all `await` statements are inside an `async` function.
- **Always handle errors**: Wrap your async code in a try-catch block to capture any issues.
- **Remember to return values**: If you need the result from an async function, ensure you return the awaited value.
- **Avoid mixing callbacks with async/await**: Stick to either callbacks or async/await in the same function for consistency.