---
title: Array.fromAsync()
short-title: fromAsync()
slug: Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/fromAsync
page-type: javascript-static-method
browser-compat: javascript.builtins.Array.fromAsync
sidebar: jsref
---

The **`Array.fromAsync()`** static method creates a new, shallow-copied `Array` instance from an [async iterable](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Iteration_protocols#the_async_iterator_and_async_iterable_protocols), [iterable](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Iteration_protocols#the_iterable_protocol), or [array-like](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Indexed_collections#working_with_array-like_objects) object.

## Syntax

```js-nolint
Array.fromAsync(items)
Array.fromAsync(items, mapFn)
Array.fromAsync(items, mapFn, thisArg)
```

### Parameters

- `items`
  - : An async iterable, iterable, or array-like object to convert to an array.
- `mapFn` {{optional_inline}}
  - : A function to call on every element of the array. If provided, every value to be added to the array is first passed through this function, and `mapFn`'s return value is added to the array instead (after being [awaited](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/await)). The function is called with the following arguments:
    - `element`
      - : The current element being processed in the array. If `items` is a sync iterable or array-like object, then all elements are first [awaited](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/await), and `element` will never be a [thenable](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Promise#thenables). If `items` is an async iterable, then each yielded value is passed as-is.
    - `index`
      - : The index of the current element being processed in the array.
- `thisArg` {{optional_inline}}
  - : Value to use as `this` when executing `mapFn`.

### Return value

A new {{jsxref("Promise")}} whose fulfillment value is a new {{jsxref("Array")}} instance.

## Description

`Array.fromAsync()` lets you create arrays from:

- [async iterable objects](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Iteration_protocols#the_async_iterator_and_async_iterable_protocols) (objects such as {{domxref("ReadableStream")}} and {{jsxref("AsyncGenerator")}}); or, if the object is not async iterable,
- [iterable objects](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Iteration_protocols#the_iterable_protocol) (objects such as {{jsxref("Map")}} and {{jsxref("Set")}}); or, if the object is not iterable,
- array-like objects (objects with a `length` property and indexed elements).

`Array.fromAsync()` iterates the async iterable in a fashion very similar to {{jsxref("Statements/for-await...of", "for await...of")}}. `Array.fromAsync(items)` is generally equivalent to the following code, if `items` is an async iterable or sync iterable:

```js
const result = [];
for await (const element of items) {
  result.push(element);
}
```

`Array.fromAsync()` is almost equivalent to {{jsxref("Array.from()")}} in terms of behavior, except the following:

- `Array.fromAsync()` handles async iterable objects.
- `Array.fromAsync()` returns a {{jsxref("Promise")}} that fulfills to the array instance.
- If `Array.fromAsync()` is called with a non-async iterable object, each element to be added to the array is first [awaited](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/await).
- If a `mapFn` is provided, its output is also internally awaited.

`Array.fromAsync()` and {{jsxref("Promise.all()")}} can both turn an iterable of promises into a promise of an array. However, there are two key differences:

- `Array.fromAsync()` awaits each value yielded from the object sequentially. `Promise.all()` awaits all values concurrently.
- `Array.fromAsync()` iterates the iterable lazily, and doesn't retrieve the next value until the current one is settled. `Promise.all()` retrieves all values in advance and awaits them all.

## Examples

### Array from an async iterable

```js
const asyncIterable = (async function* () {
  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10 * i));
    yield i;
  }
})();

Array.fromAsync(asyncIterable).then((array) => console.log(array));
// [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
```

When `items` is an async iterable where each result's `value` is also a promise, then those promises are added to the resulting array without being awaited. This is consistent with the behavior of `for await...of`.

```js
function createAsyncIter() {
  let i = 0;
  return {
    [Symbol.asyncIterator]() {
      return {
        async next() {
          if (i > 2) return { done: true };
          i++;
          return { value: Promise.resolve(i), done: false };
        },
      };
    },
  };
}

Array.fromAsync(createAsyncIter()).then((array) => console.log(array));
// (3) [Promise, Promise, Promise]
```

> [!NOTE]
> In practice, you will rarely encounter an async iterable that yields promises, because if you implement it using an [async generator function](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/async_function*), then the [`yield`](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/yield) expression automatically unwraps promises.

### Array from a sync iterable

```js
Array.fromAsync(
  new Map([
    [1, 2],
    [3, 4],
  ]),
).then((array) => console.log(array));
// [[1, 2], [3, 4]]
```

### Array from a sync iterable that yields promises

```js
Array.fromAsync(
  new Set([Promise.resolve(1), Promise.resolve(2), Promise.resolve(3)]),
).then((array) => console.log(array));
// [1, 2, 3]
```

### Array from an array-like object of promises

```js
Array.fromAsync({
  length: 3,
  0: Promise.resolve(1),
  1: Promise.resolve(2),
  2: Promise.resolve(3),
}).then((array) => console.log(array));
// [1, 2, 3]
```

### Using mapFn with a sync iterable

When `items` is a sync iterable or array-like object, both the input and output of `mapFn` are awaited internally by `Array.fromAsync()`.

```js
function delayedValue(v) {
  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve(v), 100));
}

Array.fromAsync(
  [delayedValue(1), delayedValue(2), delayedValue(3)],
  (element) => delayedValue(element * 2),
).then((array) => console.log(array));
// [2, 4, 6]
```

### Using mapFn with an async iterable

When `items` is an async iterable, the input to `mapFn` is not awaited, but the output is. Using the same `createAsyncIter` function as above:

```js
Array.fromAsync(createAsyncIter(), async (element) => (await element) * 2).then(
  (array) => console.log(array),
);
// [2, 4, 6]
```

Curiously, this means that `Array.fromAsync(createAsyncIter())` is not equivalent to `Array.fromAsync(createAsyncIter(), (element) => element)`, because the latter awaits each yielded value, while the former does not.

```js
Array.fromAsync(createAsyncIter(), (element) => element).then((array) =>
  console.log(array),
);
// [1, 2, 3]
```

### Comparison with Promise.all()

`Array.fromAsync()` awaits each value yielded from the object sequentially. `Promise.all()` awaits all values concurrently.

```js
function* makeIterableOfPromises() {
  for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    yield new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 100));
  }
}

(async () => {
  console.time("Array.fromAsync() time");
  await Array.fromAsync(makeIterableOfPromises());
  console.timeEnd("Array.fromAsync() time");
  // Array.fromAsync() time: 503.610ms

  console.time("Promise.all() time");
  await Promise.all(makeIterableOfPromises());
  console.timeEnd("Promise.all() time");
  // Promise.all() time: 101.728ms
})();
```

### No error handling for sync iterables

Similar to [`for await...of`](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/for-await...of#iterating_over_sync_iterables_and_generators), if the object being iterated is a sync iterable, and an error is thrown while iterating, the `return()` method of the underlying iterator will not be called, so the iterator is not closed.

```js
function* generatorWithRejectedPromises() {
  try {
    yield 0;
    yield Promise.reject(new Error("error"));
  } finally {
    console.log("called finally");
  }
}

(async () => {
  try {
    await Array.fromAsync(generatorWithRejectedPromises());
  } catch (e) {
    console.log("caught", e);
  }
})();
// caught Error: error
// No "called finally" message
```

If you need to close the iterator, you need to use a {{jsxref("Statements/for...of", "for...of")}} loop instead, and `await` each value yourself.

```js
(async () => {
  const arr = [];
  try {
    for (const val of generatorWithRejectedPromises()) {
      arr.push(await val);
    }
  } catch (e) {
    console.log("caught", e);
  }
})();
// called finally
// caught 3
```

## Specifications

{{Specifications}}

## Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

## See also

- [Polyfill of `Array.fromAsync` in `core-js`](https://github.com/zloirock/core-js#arrayfromasync)
- [Indexed collections](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Indexed_collections) guide
- {{jsxref("Array")}}
- {{jsxref("Array/Array", "Array()")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.of()")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.from()")}}
- {{jsxref("Statements/for-await...of", "for await...of")}}