Asynchronous JavaScript
"I will finish later!"
Functions running in parallel with other functions are called asynchronous
A good example is JavaScript setTimeout()
Asynchronous JavaScript
The examples used in the previous chapter, was very simplified.
The purpose of the examples was to demonstrate the syntax of callback functions:
Example
function myDisplayer(some) {
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = some;
}
function myCalculator(num1, num2, myCallback) {
let sum = num1 + num2;
myCallback(sum);
}
myCalculator(5, 5, myDisplayer);
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, myDisplayer is the name of a function.
It is passed to myCalculator() as an argument.
In the real world, callbacks are most often used with asynchronous functions.
A typical example is JavaScript setTimeout().
Waiting for a Timeout
When using the JavaScript function setTimeout(), you can specify a callback function to be executed on time-out:
Example
setTimeout(myFunction, 3000);
function myFunction() {
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = "I love You !!";
}
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, myFunction is used as a callback.
myFunction is passed to setTimeout() as an argument.
3000 is the number of milliseconds before time-out, so myFunction() will be called after 3 seconds.
When you pass a function as an argument, remember not to use parenthesis.
Right: setTimeout(myFunction, 3000);
Wrong: setTimeout(myFunction(), 3000);
Instead of passing the name of a function as an argument to another function, you can always pass a whole function instead:
Example
setTimeout(function() { myFunction("I love You !!!"); }, 3000);
function myFunction(value) {
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = value;
}
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, function(){ myFunction("I love You !!!"); } is used as a callback. It is a complete function. The complete function is passed to setTimeout() as an argument.
3000 is the number of milliseconds before time-out, so myFunction() will be called after 3 seconds.
Waiting for Intervals:
When using the JavaScript function setInterval(), you can specify a callback function to be executed for each interval:
Example
setInterval(myFunction, 1000);
function myFunction() {
let d = new Date();
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML=
d.getHours() + ":" +
d.getMinutes() + ":" +
d.getSeconds();
}
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, myFunction is used as a callback.
myFunction is passed to setInterval() as an argument.
1000 is the number of milliseconds between intervals, so myFunction() will be called every second.
Waiting for Files
If you create a function to load an external resource (like a script or a file), you cannot use the content before it is fully loaded.
This is the perfect time to use a callback.
This example loads an HTML file (mycar.html), and displays the HTML file in a web page, after the file is fully loaded:
Waiting for a File:
function myDisplayer(some) {
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = some;
}
function getFile(myCallback) {
let req = new XMLHttpRequest();
req.open('GET', "mycar.html");
req.onload = function() {
if (req.status == 200) {
myCallback(this.responseText);
} else {
myCallback("Error: " + req.status);
}
}
req.send();
}
getFile(myDisplayer);
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, myDisplayer is used as a callback.
myDisplayer is passed to getFile() as an argument.
Below is a copy of mycar.html:
mycar.html
<img src="img_car.jpg" alt="Nice car" style="width:100%">
<p>A car is a wheeled, self-powered motor vehicle used for transportation.
Most definitions of the term specify that cars are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels.</p>
<p>(Wikipedia)</p>
