await Result in Kotlin
On this page (12sections)
Introduction
await Result is a fundamental concept every Kotlin developer should understand. async starts parallel work and await retrieves its result. Together they compose concurrent operations without manual thread management.
Await suspends until Deferred completes and returns value. In this tutorial you will learn the syntax, walk through a complete example program, study the sample output, and review best practices so you can apply the concept confidently in your own projects.
Definition
- await suspends until Deferred completes and returns value.
- If async block throws, exception is rethrown at await call.
- Combine multiple await calls for parallel tasks.
Syntax
deferred.await()
await Result in Kotlin Example Program in Kotlin
import kotlinx.coroutines.*
suspend fun load(id: Int): Int {
delay(50)
return id * 10
}
fun main(args: Array<String>) = runBlocking {
val d1 = async { load(1) }
val d2 = async { load(2) }
println(d1.await() + d2.await())
}
Sample Output
30
When to use
Use async/await when you have independent tasks that can run in parallel and you need to combine their results.
How it works
-
The program starts with a
mainfunction — the entry point that runs when you execute the file. -
suspend fun load(id: Int): Int {shows coroutine-based concurrency — work runs without blocking the calling thread. -
val d1 = async { load(1) }assigns or updates a value used later in the program. -
val d2 = async { load(2) }assigns or updates a value used later in the program. -
The
println(d1.await() + d2.await())statement writes a line to the console — this produces part of the sample output below. -
Await suspends until Deferred completes and returns value.
-
Run the program in IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, or with the Kotlin command-line compiler (
kotlinc/kotlin). Compare your console output with the sample output shown below.
Best Practices
- Understand the core idea: await suspends until Deferred completes and returns value.
- Prefer readable names and small functions so examples map directly to real projects.
- Run and modify the example — change values and observe how the output changes.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping the example and only reading the definition — hands-on practice cements the concept.
- Copying syntax without understanding nullable vs non-nullable types or scope rules.
- Ignoring compiler warnings that often point to safer alternatives.
Key Points
- await suspends until Deferred completes and returns value.
- If async block throws, exception is rethrown at await call.
- Combine multiple await calls for parallel tasks.
- Test the example locally and verify the output matches the sample.
- Experiment by changing input values to see how behaviour changes.
Notes
- Add the
kotlinx-coroutines-coredependency when running coroutine examples outside Android or IntelliJ. - Semicolons at the end of statements are optional in Kotlin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is await Result in Kotlin?
When should I use await Result?
How is await Result different from Java?
How do I practice this topic?
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