javascript - Why is my async function returning too soon?

I am trying to use an async function to call a function inside another function. It looks like this:

const getConnectionsWithEmailsHash = async () => {

    const connectionsWithEmails = await parseConnections('./tmp/connections.csv') 
    console.log(connectionsWithEmails)
    return connectionsWithEmails
}

const connectionsWithEmailsHash = getConnectionsWithEmailsHash()
console.log(connectionsWithEmailsHash) 

When I console.log() inside the async function, I get the hash I am expecting, but when I console.log() the result of calling the async function, I get promise pending. I though the point of an async function was that it waits for the promise to be resolved when it is called, so what I am I doing wrong?

Answer

async functions return promises. This line:

const connectionsWithEmailsHash = getConnectionsWithEmailsHash()

...just sets connectionsWithEmailsHash to the promise that the function returns. To actually get the resolution value of the promise, you'd need to:

1. Use await within another async function (if that means using async at the top level, see: How can I use async/await at the top level?):

   
   
   
   

   const connectionsWithEmailsHash = await getConnectionsWithEmailsHash()
   

   
   
   

   or,




2. Use then on the promise

   
   
   

   getConnectionsWithEmailsHash()
   .then(connectionsWithEmailsHash => {
       // ...use `connectionsWithEmailsHash`....
   
   })
   .catch(error => {
       // ...handle error...
   })