Task.Start/Wait vs. Async/Await: What's the Key Difference in Asynchronous Programming?

Task.Start/Wait vs. Async/Await: What’s the difference?

In the world of asynchronous programming, it is crucial to understand the difference between synchronous methods using Task.Start/Wait and asynchronous methods using Async/Await.

Please see the following code snippet:

public void MyMethod()
{
  Task t = Task.Factory.StartNew(DoSomethingThatTakesTime);
  t.Wait();
  UpdateLabelToSayItsComplete();
}

public async void MyMethod()
{
  var result = Task.Factory.StartNew(DoSomethingThatTakesTime);
  await result;
  UpdateLabelToSayItsComplete();
}

In the first code snippet, we use the traditional Task.Start/Wait synchronization method. Here’s how it works:

• Use Task.Factory.StartNew to create a new task and perform time-consuming operations in the DoSomethingThatTakesTime method.
• Block the current thread by calling the Wait() method on the task. This means that the program will wait until the task is completed.

In contrast, the second code snippet demonstrates an asynchronous approach using Async/Await:

• Again, start a task as before.
• But instead of using Wait() to block the thread, it uses the await keyword. This causes the current thread to continue executing while the background task is running.
• When the task is completed, a message will be automatically queued into the message queue, indicating that the code section following await should resume execution.

The main difference between these two methods is the behavior of the thread while the task is running. With Task.Start/Wait, the thread is blocked and cannot respond to other events. In contrast, Async/Await allows a thread to perform other tasks while waiting for a response.

Imagine ordering lunch at a restaurant. Use Task.Start/Wait like ignoring the person sitting next to you before you eat. Using Async/Await, it's like continuing a conversation with a friend while you wait for the soup to be served. The background work is still happening, but your thread can perform other operations while waiting for results.

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