What are real-world applications of async iterables?

Can you explain what async iterables are and give some real-world examples?

Async iterables are objects that allow you to iterate over data asynchronously, using the for await...of syntax. They are useful for handling streams of data, such as reading files, fetching data from APIs, or processing large datasets without blocking the main thread.

What are some specific use cases for async iterables?

Some real-world use cases include:

1. Streaming data from a web API, allowing you to process data as it arrives.
2. Reading large files line by line without loading the entire file into memory.
3. Handling user input in real-time applications, like chat apps or live data feeds.

How do async iterables compare to regular iterables?

Async iterables allow for non-blocking operations, making them suitable for I/O-bound tasks, while regular iterables are synchronous and block execution until the entire collection is processed.

Can you show me a code example of using async iterables?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

async function* asyncGenerator() {
  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000)); // Simulate async operation
    yield i;
  }
}

(async () => {
  for await (const value of asyncGenerator()) {
    console.log(value);
  }
})();