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How to handle async/await errors properly in JavaScript? Best practices
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I'll search for the most current best practices on handling async/await errors in JavaScript to provide you with comprehensive guidance. Proper error handling with async/await in JavaScript is crucial for building robust applications. Here's a comprehensive guide covering best practices and techniques to handle asynchronous errors effectively.
Basic Try-Catch Pattern
The fundamental approach for handling async/await errors uses try-catch blocks:
async function fetchData(url) {
try {
const response = await fetch(url);
const data = await response.json();
return data;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Fetch error:', error);
throw error; // Re-throw if needed
}
}
Best Practices for Error Handling
1. Always Use Try-Catch Blocks
Wrap await statements in try-catch to prevent unhandled promise rejections:
async function safeAsyncOperation() {
try {
const result = await someAsyncFunction();
return result;
} catch (error) {
// Handle error appropriately
return null; // or default value
}
}
2. Check HTTP Response Status
Fetch API doesn't automatically throw errors for HTTP error statuses:
async function fetchWithErrorChecking(url) {
try {
const response = await fetch(url);
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
}
const data = await response.json();
return data;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Request failed:', error);
throw error;
}
}
3. Use Finally Blocks for Cleanup
Ensure cleanup code runs regardless of success or failure:
async function processData() {
let connection;
try {
connection = await establishConnection();
const result = await processWithConnection(connection);
return result;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Processing failed:', error);
throw error;
} finally {
if (connection) {
await connection.close();
}
}
}
4. Handle Multiple Async Operations
For concurrent operations, use Promise.all with proper error handling:
async function fetchMultipleResources() {
try {
const [users, posts, comments] = await Promise.all([
fetchUsers(),
fetchPosts(),
fetchComments()
]);
return { users, posts, comments };
} catch (error) {
console.error('One or more requests failed:', error);
// Handle partial failure scenarios
throw error;
}
}
For handling partial failures, consider Promise.allSettled:
async function fetchWithPartialFailure() {
const results = await Promise.allSettled([
fetchUsers(),
fetchPosts(),
fetchComments()
]);
const successful = results
.filter(result => result.status === 'fulfilled')
.map(result => result.value);
const failed = results
.filter(result => result.status === 'rejected')
.map(result => result.reason);
if (failed.length > 0) {
console.warn('Some requests failed:', failed);
}
return successful;
}
Advanced Error Handling Patterns
Error Wrapper Function
Create reusable error handling utilities:
function asyncErrorWrapper(fn) {
return async function(...args) {
try {
return await fn(...args);
} catch (error) {
console.error(`Error in ${fn.name}:`, error);
throw error;
}
};
}
const safeApiCall = asyncErrorWrapper(async (url) => {
const response = await fetch(url);
return response.json();
});
Specific Error Types
Handle different error types appropriately:
async function handleSpecificErrors() {
try {
const data = await fetchData();
return data;
} catch (error) {
if (error instanceof TypeError) {
console.error('Network or parsing error:', error);
} else if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
console.error('Request was aborted:', error);
} else {
console.error('Unexpected error:', error);
}
throw error;
}
}
Retrying Failed Operations
Implement retry logic for transient failures:
async function retryOperation(operation, maxRetries = 3, delay = 1000) {
for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt++) {
try {
return await operation();
} catch (error) {
if (attempt === maxRetries) {
throw error;
}
console.warn(`Attempt ${attempt} failed, retrying in ${delay}ms...`);
await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
delay *= 2; // Exponential backoff
}
}
}
React/Frontend Integration
When using async/await in React components:
const MyComponent = () => {
const [data, setData] = useState(null);
const [error, setError] = useState(null);
const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
useEffect(() => {
const loadData = async () => {
setLoading(true);
setError(null);
try {
const fetchedData = await fetchData('/api/data');
setData(fetchedData);
} catch (error) {
setError(error.message);
} finally {
setLoading(false);
}
};
loadData();
}, []);
if (loading) return <div>Loading...</div>;
if (error) return <div>Error: {error}</div>;
return <div>{data && data.content}</div>;
};
Key Guidelines
Variable Scope Management
When you need to use results outside the try block, declare variables beforehand:
async function processUser(userInfo) {
let createdUser;
try {
createdUser = await User.create(userInfo);
} catch (error) {
console.error('User creation failed:', error);
return null;
}
// Business logic continues here with createdUser
return createdUser;
}
Don't Suppress Errors Silently
Always log errors and decide whether to re-throw:
// Good
try {
const result = await riskyOperation();
return result;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Operation failed:', error);
// Decide: return default value, re-throw, or handle gracefully
throw error;
}
// Avoid silent failures
try {
await riskyOperation();
} catch (error) {
// Silent failure - bad practice
}
These patterns ensure your async JavaScript code handles errors gracefully, provides meaningful feedback to users, and maintains application stability even when network requests or other asynchronous operations fail [Source: https://codefinity.com/blog/Error-Handling-with-Async-Await-in-JavaScript] [Source: https://medium.com/@sudhirkmr529/mastering-error-handling-with-async-await-in-javascript-cb1c877bb554].