Callback function
A callback function is a function passed into another function as an argument, which is then invoked inside the outer function to complete some kind of routine or action.
Here is a quick example:
function greeting(name) {
alert('Hello ' + name);
}
function processUserInput(callback) {
var name = prompt('Please enter your name.');
callback(name);
}
processUserInput(greeting);
The above example is a synchronous callback, as it is executed immediately.
Note, however, that callbacks are often used to continue code execution after an asynchronous operation has completed — these are called asynchronous callbacks. A good example is the callback functions executed inside a .then()
block chained onto the end of a promise after that promise fulfills or rejects. This structure is used in many modern web APIs, such as fetch()
.
See also
- Callback on Wikipedia