Question 26

Question

Can you explain the difference between async IIFE and an immediately invoked async function expression (IIAFE)?

Answer

There's no distinct difference between "async IIFE" and "immediately invoked async function expression" (IIAFEX). They both refer to the same thing.

Here's a breakdown:

• IIFE: Stands for "Immediately Invoked Function Expression." It's a function that is defined and executed immediately upon being encountered in the code.

• Async: Indicates that the function uses the async keyword, allowing it to work with Promises and await.

Therefore, an "immediately invoked async function expression" (IIAFEX) is simply an IIFE that also happens to be declared as async.

Example:

(async function() {
  const result = await someAsyncOperation();
  console.log(result); 
})(); // Immediately executed

Why use IIAFEX?

• Scoping and Encapsulation: Keeps variables local to the function, preventing potential conflicts with other code in your script.

• Organization: Can help structure your code into reusable blocks, making it more modular.

• Event Handling: Often used for asynchronous operations triggered by events (e.g., clicks, page loads).