JavaScript: Converting a Callback to Promises

Callbacks

For JavaScript to know when an asynchronous operation has returned a response (the response could be an correct result or error response), it points to a function that will be executed once that result is ready.

This function is what we call a “callback function”.

In a simple way, a callback is a function that is passed to another function. When the first function is done, it will run the second function.

Here is our call back function

Promises

A promise is an object that wraps an asynchronous operation and notifies when it’s done.

Similar to callbacks, the implementation is a bit different.

Instead of providing a callback, a promise has its own methods which you call to tell the promise what will happen when it is successful or when it fails.

The creation of a Promise object is done via the Promise constructor by calling “new Promise()”.

It takes a function as an argument and that function gets passed two callbacks: one for notifying when the operation is successful (resolve) and one for notifying when the operation has failed (reject).

Next topic will about Callback Hell and how Promises can be used to solve them.