ECMAScript® 2024 Language Specification

Draft ECMA-262 / December 6, 2023

27.6 AsyncGenerator Objects

An AsyncGenerator is an instance of an async generator function and conforms to both the AsyncIterator and AsyncIterable interfaces.

AsyncGenerator instances directly inherit properties from the object that is the initial value of the "prototype" property of the AsyncGenerator function that created the instance. AsyncGenerator instances indirectly inherit properties from the AsyncGenerator Prototype intrinsic, %AsyncGeneratorFunction.prototype.prototype%.

27.6.1 Properties of the AsyncGenerator Prototype Object

The AsyncGenerator prototype object:

  • is %AsyncGeneratorFunction.prototype.prototype%.
  • is an ordinary object.
  • is not an AsyncGenerator instance and does not have an [[AsyncGeneratorState]] internal slot.
  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %AsyncIteratorPrototype%.
  • has properties that are indirectly inherited by all AsyncGenerator instances.

27.6.1.1 AsyncGenerator.prototype.constructor

The initial value of AsyncGenerator.prototype.constructor is %AsyncGeneratorFunction.prototype%.

This property has the attributes { [[Writable]]: false, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Configurable]]: true }.

27.6.1.2 AsyncGenerator.prototype.next ( value )

  1. Let generator be the this value.
  2. Let promiseCapability be ! NewPromiseCapability(%Promise%).
  3. Let result be Completion(AsyncGeneratorValidate(generator, empty)).
  4. IfAbruptRejectPromise(result, promiseCapability).
  5. Let state be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]].
  6. If state is completed, then
    1. Let iteratorResult be CreateIterResultObject(undefined, true).
    2. Perform ! Call(promiseCapability.[[Resolve]], undefined, « iteratorResult »).
    3. Return promiseCapability.[[Promise]].
  7. Let completion be NormalCompletion(value).
  8. Perform AsyncGeneratorEnqueue(generator, completion, promiseCapability).
  9. If state is either suspended-start or suspended-yield, then
    1. Perform AsyncGeneratorResume(generator, completion).
  10. Else,
    1. Assert: state is either executing or awaiting-return.
  11. Return promiseCapability.[[Promise]].

27.6.1.3 AsyncGenerator.prototype.return ( value )

  1. Let generator be the this value.
  2. Let promiseCapability be ! NewPromiseCapability(%Promise%).
  3. Let result be Completion(AsyncGeneratorValidate(generator, empty)).
  4. IfAbruptRejectPromise(result, promiseCapability).
  5. Let completion be Completion Record { [[Type]]: return, [[Value]]: value, [[Target]]: empty }.
  6. Perform AsyncGeneratorEnqueue(generator, completion, promiseCapability).
  7. Let state be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]].
  8. If state is either suspended-start or completed, then
    1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to awaiting-return.
    2. Perform ! AsyncGeneratorAwaitReturn(generator).
  9. Else if state is suspended-yield, then
    1. Perform AsyncGeneratorResume(generator, completion).
  10. Else,
    1. Assert: state is either executing or awaiting-return.
  11. Return promiseCapability.[[Promise]].

27.6.1.4 AsyncGenerator.prototype.throw ( exception )

  1. Let generator be the this value.
  2. Let promiseCapability be ! NewPromiseCapability(%Promise%).
  3. Let result be Completion(AsyncGeneratorValidate(generator, empty)).
  4. IfAbruptRejectPromise(result, promiseCapability).
  5. Let state be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]].
  6. If state is suspended-start, then
    1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to completed.
    2. Set state to completed.
  7. If state is completed, then
    1. Perform ! Call(promiseCapability.[[Reject]], undefined, « exception »).
    2. Return promiseCapability.[[Promise]].
  8. Let completion be ThrowCompletion(exception).
  9. Perform AsyncGeneratorEnqueue(generator, completion, promiseCapability).
  10. If state is suspended-yield, then
    1. Perform AsyncGeneratorResume(generator, completion).
  11. Else,
    1. Assert: state is either executing or awaiting-return.
  12. Return promiseCapability.[[Promise]].

27.6.1.5 AsyncGenerator.prototype [ @@toStringTag ]

The initial value of the @@toStringTag property is the String value "AsyncGenerator".

This property has the attributes { [[Writable]]: false, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Configurable]]: true }.

27.6.2 Properties of AsyncGenerator Instances

AsyncGenerator instances are initially created with the internal slots described below:

Table 89: Internal Slots of AsyncGenerator Instances
Internal Slot Type Description
[[AsyncGeneratorState]] undefined, suspended-start, suspended-yield, executing, awaiting-return, or completed The current execution state of the async generator.
[[AsyncGeneratorContext]] an execution context The execution context that is used when executing the code of this async generator.
[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]] a List of AsyncGeneratorRequest Records Records which represent requests to resume the async generator. Except during state transitions, it is non-empty if and only if [[AsyncGeneratorState]] is either executing or awaiting-return.
[[GeneratorBrand]] a String or empty A brand used to distinguish different kinds of async generators. The [[GeneratorBrand]] of async generators declared by ECMAScript source text is always empty.

27.6.3 AsyncGenerator Abstract Operations

27.6.3.1 AsyncGeneratorRequest Records

An AsyncGeneratorRequest is a Record value used to store information about how an async generator should be resumed and contains capabilities for fulfilling or rejecting the corresponding promise.

They have the following fields:

Table 90: AsyncGeneratorRequest Record Fields
Field Name Value Meaning
[[Completion]] a Completion Record The Completion Record which should be used to resume the async generator.
[[Capability]] a PromiseCapability Record The promise capabilities associated with this request.

27.6.3.2 AsyncGeneratorStart ( generator, generatorBody )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorStart takes arguments generator (an AsyncGenerator) and generatorBody (a FunctionBody Parse Node or an Abstract Closure with no parameters) and returns unused. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Assert: generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] is undefined.
  2. Let genContext be the running execution context.
  3. Set the Generator component of genContext to generator.
  4. Let closure be a new Abstract Closure with no parameters that captures generatorBody and performs the following steps when called:
    1. Let acGenContext be the running execution context.
    2. Let acGenerator be the Generator component of acGenContext.
    3. If generatorBody is a Parse Node, then
      1. Let result be Completion(Evaluation of generatorBody).
    4. Else,
      1. Assert: generatorBody is an Abstract Closure with no parameters.
      2. Let result be Completion(generatorBody()).
    5. Assert: If we return here, the async generator either threw an exception or performed either an implicit or explicit return.
    6. Remove acGenContext from the execution context stack and restore the execution context that is at the top of the execution context stack as the running execution context.
    7. Set acGenerator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to completed.
    8. If result.[[Type]] is normal, set result to NormalCompletion(undefined).
    9. If result.[[Type]] is return, set result to NormalCompletion(result.[[Value]]).
    10. Perform AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep(acGenerator, result, true).
    11. Perform AsyncGeneratorDrainQueue(acGenerator).
    12. Return undefined.
  5. Set the code evaluation state of genContext such that when evaluation is resumed for that execution context, closure will be called with no arguments.
  6. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorContext]] to genContext.
  7. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to suspended-start.
  8. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]] to a new empty List.
  9. Return unused.

27.6.3.3 AsyncGeneratorValidate ( generator, generatorBrand )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorValidate takes arguments generator (an ECMAScript language value) and generatorBrand (a String or empty) and returns either a normal completion containing unused or a throw completion. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Perform ? RequireInternalSlot(generator, [[AsyncGeneratorContext]]).
  2. Perform ? RequireInternalSlot(generator, [[AsyncGeneratorState]]).
  3. Perform ? RequireInternalSlot(generator, [[AsyncGeneratorQueue]]).
  4. If generator.[[GeneratorBrand]] is not generatorBrand, throw a TypeError exception.
  5. Return unused.

27.6.3.4 AsyncGeneratorEnqueue ( generator, completion, promiseCapability )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorEnqueue takes arguments generator (an AsyncGenerator), completion (a Completion Record), and promiseCapability (a PromiseCapability Record) and returns unused. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Let request be AsyncGeneratorRequest { [[Completion]]: completion, [[Capability]]: promiseCapability }.
  2. Append request to generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  3. Return unused.

27.6.3.5 AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep ( generator, completion, done [ , realm ] )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep takes arguments generator (an AsyncGenerator), completion (a Completion Record), and done (a Boolean) and optional argument realm (a Realm Record) and returns unused. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Assert: generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]] is not empty.
  2. Let next be the first element of generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  3. Remove the first element from generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  4. Let promiseCapability be next.[[Capability]].
  5. Let value be completion.[[Value]].
  6. If completion.[[Type]] is throw, then
    1. Perform ! Call(promiseCapability.[[Reject]], undefined, « value »).
  7. Else,
    1. Assert: completion.[[Type]] is normal.
    2. If realm is present, then
      1. Let oldRealm be the running execution context's Realm.
      2. Set the running execution context's Realm to realm.
      3. Let iteratorResult be CreateIterResultObject(value, done).
      4. Set the running execution context's Realm to oldRealm.
    3. Else,
      1. Let iteratorResult be CreateIterResultObject(value, done).
    4. Perform ! Call(promiseCapability.[[Resolve]], undefined, « iteratorResult »).
  8. Return unused.

27.6.3.6 AsyncGeneratorResume ( generator, completion )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorResume takes arguments generator (an AsyncGenerator) and completion (a Completion Record) and returns unused. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Assert: generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] is either suspended-start or suspended-yield.
  2. Let genContext be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorContext]].
  3. Let callerContext be the running execution context.
  4. Suspend callerContext.
  5. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to executing.
  6. Push genContext onto the execution context stack; genContext is now the running execution context.
  7. Resume the suspended evaluation of genContext using completion as the result of the operation that suspended it. Let result be the Completion Record returned by the resumed computation.
  8. Assert: result is never an abrupt completion.
  9. Assert: When we return here, genContext has already been removed from the execution context stack and callerContext is the currently running execution context.
  10. Return unused.

27.6.3.7 AsyncGeneratorUnwrapYieldResumption ( resumptionValue )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorUnwrapYieldResumption takes argument resumptionValue (a Completion Record) and returns either a normal completion containing an ECMAScript language value or an abrupt completion. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. If resumptionValue.[[Type]] is not return, return ? resumptionValue.
  2. Let awaited be Completion(Await(resumptionValue.[[Value]])).
  3. If awaited.[[Type]] is throw, return ? awaited.
  4. Assert: awaited.[[Type]] is normal.
  5. Return Completion Record { [[Type]]: return, [[Value]]: awaited.[[Value]], [[Target]]: empty }.

27.6.3.8 AsyncGeneratorYield ( value )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorYield takes argument value (an ECMAScript language value) and returns either a normal completion containing an ECMAScript language value or an abrupt completion. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Let genContext be the running execution context.
  2. Assert: genContext is the execution context of a generator.
  3. Let generator be the value of the Generator component of genContext.
  4. Assert: GetGeneratorKind() is async.
  5. Let completion be NormalCompletion(value).
  6. Assert: The execution context stack has at least two elements.
  7. Let previousContext be the second to top element of the execution context stack.
  8. Let previousRealm be previousContext's Realm.
  9. Perform AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep(generator, completion, false, previousRealm).
  10. Let queue be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  11. If queue is not empty, then
    1. NOTE: Execution continues without suspending the generator.
    2. Let toYield be the first element of queue.
    3. Let resumptionValue be Completion(toYield.[[Completion]]).
    4. Return ? AsyncGeneratorUnwrapYieldResumption(resumptionValue).
  12. Else,
    1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to suspended-yield.
    2. Remove genContext from the execution context stack and restore the execution context that is at the top of the execution context stack as the running execution context.
    3. Let callerContext be the running execution context.
    4. Resume callerContext passing undefined. If genContext is ever resumed again, let resumptionValue be the Completion Record with which it is resumed.
    5. Assert: If control reaches here, then genContext is the running execution context again.
    6. Return ? AsyncGeneratorUnwrapYieldResumption(resumptionValue).

27.6.3.9 AsyncGeneratorAwaitReturn ( generator )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorAwaitReturn takes argument generator (an AsyncGenerator) and returns either a normal completion containing unused or a throw completion. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Let queue be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  2. Assert: queue is not empty.
  3. Let next be the first element of queue.
  4. Let completion be Completion(next.[[Completion]]).
  5. Assert: completion.[[Type]] is return.
  6. Let promise be ? PromiseResolve(%Promise%, completion.[[Value]]).
  7. Let fulfilledClosure be a new Abstract Closure with parameters (value) that captures generator and performs the following steps when called:
    1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to completed.
    2. Let result be NormalCompletion(value).
    3. Perform AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep(generator, result, true).
    4. Perform AsyncGeneratorDrainQueue(generator).
    5. Return undefined.
  8. Let onFulfilled be CreateBuiltinFunction(fulfilledClosure, 1, "", « »).
  9. Let rejectedClosure be a new Abstract Closure with parameters (reason) that captures generator and performs the following steps when called:
    1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to completed.
    2. Let result be ThrowCompletion(reason).
    3. Perform AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep(generator, result, true).
    4. Perform AsyncGeneratorDrainQueue(generator).
    5. Return undefined.
  10. Let onRejected be CreateBuiltinFunction(rejectedClosure, 1, "", « »).
  11. Perform PerformPromiseThen(promise, onFulfilled, onRejected).
  12. Return unused.

27.6.3.10 AsyncGeneratorDrainQueue ( generator )

The abstract operation AsyncGeneratorDrainQueue takes argument generator (an AsyncGenerator) and returns unused. It drains the generator's AsyncGeneratorQueue until it encounters an AsyncGeneratorRequest which holds a return completion. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. Assert: generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] is completed.
  2. Let queue be generator.[[AsyncGeneratorQueue]].
  3. If queue is empty, return unused.
  4. Let done be false.
  5. Repeat, while done is false,
    1. Let next be the first element of queue.
    2. Let completion be Completion(next.[[Completion]]).
    3. If completion.[[Type]] is return, then
      1. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to awaiting-return.
      2. Perform ! AsyncGeneratorAwaitReturn(generator).
      3. Set done to true.
    4. Else,
      1. If completion.[[Type]] is normal, then
        1. Set completion to NormalCompletion(undefined).
      2. Perform AsyncGeneratorCompleteStep(generator, completion, true).
      3. If queue is empty, set done to true.
  6. Return unused.

27.6.3.11 CreateAsyncIteratorFromClosure ( closure, generatorBrand, generatorPrototype )

The abstract operation CreateAsyncIteratorFromClosure takes arguments closure (an Abstract Closure with no parameters), generatorBrand (a String or empty), and generatorPrototype (an Object) and returns an AsyncGenerator. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. NOTE: closure can contain uses of the Await operation and uses of the Yield operation to yield an IteratorResult object.
  2. Let internalSlotsList be « [[AsyncGeneratorState]], [[AsyncGeneratorContext]], [[AsyncGeneratorQueue]], [[GeneratorBrand]] ».
  3. Let generator be OrdinaryObjectCreate(generatorPrototype, internalSlotsList).
  4. Set generator.[[GeneratorBrand]] to generatorBrand.
  5. Set generator.[[AsyncGeneratorState]] to undefined.
  6. Let callerContext be the running execution context.
  7. Let calleeContext be a new execution context.
  8. Set the Function of calleeContext to null.
  9. Set the Realm of calleeContext to the current Realm Record.
  10. Set the ScriptOrModule of calleeContext to callerContext's ScriptOrModule.
  11. If callerContext is not already suspended, suspend callerContext.
  12. Push calleeContext onto the execution context stack; calleeContext is now the running execution context.
  13. Perform AsyncGeneratorStart(generator, closure).
  14. Remove calleeContext from the execution context stack and restore callerContext as the running execution context.
  15. Return generator.