What is the difference between promise and async/await in Node.js?

Question

Accepted Answer

**Promise** — then/catch syntax. **async/await** — synchronous-looking syntax.

**Promise:**
- .then() and .catch().
- Chainable.
- Can be verbose.

```javascript
// Promise chain
fetchUser(id)
    .then(user => fetchPosts(user.id))
    .then(posts => console.log(posts))
    .catch(err => console.error(err));
```

**async/await:**
- Syntactic sugar over promises.
- Looks synchronous.
- Easier to read.

```javascript
// async/await
async function getUserPosts(id) {
    try {
        const user = await fetchUser(id);
        const posts = await fetchPosts(user.id);
        console.log(posts);
    } catch (err) {
        console.error(err);
    }
}
```

**Key differences:**
- **Promise** — .then() chains.
- **async/await** — cleaner syntax.
- Both use promises under the hood.

Node.js: What is the difference between promise and async/await in Node.js?