SyntaxError when calling an async static function

Question

I'm playing a bit with async/await of Node 8.3.0 and I have some issue with static function.

MyClass.js

class MyClass {
  static async getSmthg() {
    return true;
  }
}
module.exports = MyClass

index.js

try {
  const result = await MyClass.getSmthg();
} catch(e) {}

With this code I've got an SyntaxError: Unexpected token on MyClass. Why is that? Can't use a static function with await or have I made a mistake?

Thank you

You could only use await inside async function. Do you wrap the code from index.js with a function? — Yury Tarabanko
– Yury Tarabanko, Commented Sep 1, 2017 at 13:36

jjmerelo · Accepted Answer · 2021-05-31 10:20:57Z

22

The await operator can only be used inside a async function if your node or browser don't support top level await and it doesn't run as a module.

You would have to do this instead

(async () => {
  try {
    const result = await MyClass.getSmthg();
  } catch(e) {}
})()

the alternative can be to set "type": "module" in package.json

edited May 31, 2021 at 10:20

jjmerelo

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answered Sep 1, 2017 at 13:36

Endless

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Comments

Salketer · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-01 13:38:12Z

0

You cannot use await in the main script... Try this

async function test(){
    try {
      const result = await MyClass.getSmthg();
      return result;
    } catch(e) {}
}
test().then(function(res){console.log(res)})

await can only be used in an async function, and async function will return a promise if not called with await.

answered Sep 1, 2017 at 13:38

Salketer

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3 Comments

Endless Over a year ago

erm, correction: you can use await in the "main" script... But it can only be used inside an async function.

Salketer Over a year ago

Yes, maybe my wording wasn't that good... By main script I wanted to mean the code executed directly in the global scope... AKA not in a function.

chharvey Over a year ago

@Salketer feel free to edit your answer so that it is correct.

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