What are the differences between promises and callbacks in Node.js?

What are the differences between promises and callbacks in Node.js?

Promises and callbacks are both used for handling asynchronous operations in Node.js. Callbacks are functions passed as arguments to other functions, while promises represent a value that may be available now, or in the future, or never.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! A callback example would be using fs.readFile where you pass a function to handle the result. A promise example would be using fetch which returns a promise that resolves to the response.

Which one is better to use?

Promises are generally preferred because they provide better error handling and can be chained, making the code cleaner and easier to read.

What about async/await? How does that fit in?

Async/await is built on top of promises and allows you to write asynchronous code that looks synchronous, making it even easier to read and maintain.