Haskell Async Library vs Parallel

What are the main differences between the Haskell async library and the parallel library?

The Haskell async library is designed for asynchronous programming, allowing you to run tasks concurrently without blocking. In contrast, the parallel library focuses on parallelism, enabling tasks to run simultaneously on multiple cores.

Can you give me an example of how to use the async library?

Sure! Here's a simple example: you can use async to run two computations concurrently. For instance, a <- async (compute1) and b <- async (compute2), then use wait a and wait b to get the results.

When should I use async over parallel?

Use async when you have I/O-bound tasks that can benefit from non-blocking execution. Use parallel for CPU-bound tasks that can be executed simultaneously to leverage multiple cores.

Are there any performance considerations I should be aware of?

Yes, using async can introduce overhead due to context switching, while parallel can lead to better performance for CPU-bound tasks. Always profile your application to find the best approach.