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How is JavaScript so special with async and streams? JS lacks any syntax for async, so it's not on par with languages that do. What's special there? Same for st

How is JavaScript so special with async and streams? JS lacks any syntax for async, so it's not on par with languages that do. What's special there? Same for streams: they're implementable in any language, and JS has no special capability there. Or am I unaware of something JS has that other languages lack (besides popularity)?

kalms 11y ago
I think it's more a matter of it being the only way to get things done in JavaScript and Node.js specifically (an overstatement, but that seems to be the sentiment).
Kequc 11y ago
When javascript performs an asynchronous operation it doesn't block the thread. It stacks everything on a queue and then just works through everything as fast as possible. Any other language would require a separate thread for each operation. I'm sure there's one other language out there that does it too but I don't know what it is. Event based programming effectively means that as long as it has something to do it's doing it. You tell it to wait? It says great I've got all this other stuff to do. Streams you may have me there, I didn't realise those were so widely used in other languages. Javascript works pretty well because you can run it on the whole stack. Share code between the front and back end. Stream from one place to another and around the corner.
- pathsjs 11y ago
  Python, Scala, OCaml, Nim, Haskell and more all have asynchronous operations for I/O - it's not something that is a JS only thing
- beders 11y ago
  Vert.x basically gives you everything that node.js has - and it spins up several event loops, making your code scale without having to run several node processes. It also allows you to mix in worker threads that are allowed to block (for I/O, for example). You can develop in JavaScript, Java, Ruby, Ceylon, Groovy. It's fast, async and robust.
Klathmon 11y ago
Personally I just like that things are async by default. That means that if you are using a 3rd party library, it will be async from the start. In something like python you need to work to get a fully async app, but in node you should file bugs if something blocks on IO.

kalms 11y ago

I think it's more a matter of it being the only way to get things done in JavaScript and Node.js specifically (an overstatement, but that seems to be the sentiment).

Kequc 11y ago

When javascript performs an asynchronous operation it doesn't block the thread. It stacks everything on a queue and then just works through everything as fast as possible. Any other language would require a separate thread for each operation. I'm sure there's one other language out there that does it too but I don't know what it is. Event based programming effectively means that as long as it has something to do it's doing it. You tell it to wait? It says great I've got all this other stuff to do. Streams you may have me there, I didn't realise those were so widely used in other languages. Javascript works pretty well because you can run it on the whole stack. Share code between the front and back end. Stream from one place to another and around the corner.

pathsjs 11y ago
Python, Scala, OCaml, Nim, Haskell and more all have asynchronous operations for I/O - it's not something that is a JS only thing
beders 11y ago
Vert.x basically gives you everything that node.js has - and it spins up several event loops, making your code scale without having to run several node processes. It also allows you to mix in worker threads that are allowed to block (for I/O, for example). You can develop in JavaScript, Java, Ruby, Ceylon, Groovy. It's fast, async and robust.

Klathmon 11y ago

Personally I just like that things are async by default. That means that if you are using a 3rd party library, it will be async from the start. In something like python you need to work to get a fully async app, but in node you should file bugs if something blocks on IO.