Problem
I’m using an asynchrounous API client, which means that each operation returns either Task or TaskT>, for example:
static async Task DoSomething(int siteId, int postId, IBlogClient client)
{
await client.DeletePost(siteId, postId); // call API client
Console.WriteLine("Deleted post {0}.", siteId);
}
What is the correct/most efficient approach to start several activities and wait for them all to finish using the C# 5 async/await operators:
int[] ids = new[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Parallel.ForEach(ids, i => DoSomething(1, i, blogClient).Wait());
or:
int[] ids = new[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Task.WaitAll(ids.Select(i => DoSomething(1, i, blogClient)).ToArray());
Because the API client uses HttpClient internally, I’d expect it to issue 5 HTTP requests right away, with each one publishing to the console as it completes.
Asked by Ben Foster
Solution #1
int[] ids = new[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Parallel.ForEach(ids, i => DoSomething(1, i, blogClient).Wait());
Although the above code allows you to conduct the tasks in parallel, it does so by blocking each operation’s thread. If a network call takes two seconds, for example, each thread will hang for two seconds without doing anything except waiting.
int[] ids = new[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Task.WaitAll(ids.Select(i => DoSomething(1, i, blogClient)).ToArray());
The above code with WaitAll, on the other hand, blocks the threads, and your threads won’t be able to do anything else until the operation is completed.
I would prefer WhenAll which will perform your operations asynchronously in Parallel.
public async Task DoWork() {
int[] ids = new[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
await Task.WhenAll(ids.Select(i => DoSomething(1, i, blogClient)));
}
To back this up, here is a detailed blog post going through all the alternatives and their advantages/disadvantages: Concurrent Asynchronous I/O with ASP.NET Web API: How and Where
Answered by tugberk
Solution #2
I wanted to see how the methods in the question worked out, as well as the acceptable answer, so I put it to the test.
Here’s the code:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace AsyncTest
{
class Program
{
class Worker
{
public int Id;
public int SleepTimeout;
public async Task DoWork(DateTime testStart)
{
var workerStart = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} started on thread {1}, beginning {2} seconds after test start.",
Id, Thread.CurrentThread.ManagedThreadId, (workerStart-testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
await Task.Run(() => Thread.Sleep(SleepTimeout));
var workerEnd = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} stopped; the worker took {1} seconds, and it finished {2} seconds after the test start.",
Id, (workerEnd-workerStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"), (workerEnd-testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
}
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var workers = new List<Worker>
{
new Worker { Id = 1, SleepTimeout = 1000 },
new Worker { Id = 2, SleepTimeout = 2000 },
new Worker { Id = 3, SleepTimeout = 3000 },
new Worker { Id = 4, SleepTimeout = 4000 },
new Worker { Id = 5, SleepTimeout = 5000 },
};
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Parallel.ForEach...");
PerformTest_ParallelForEach(workers, startTime);
var endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Task.WaitAll...");
PerformTest_TaskWaitAll(workers, startTime);
endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Task.WhenAll...");
var task = PerformTest_TaskWhenAll(workers, startTime);
task.Wait();
endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
Console.ReadKey();
}
static void PerformTest_ParallelForEach(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
Parallel.ForEach(workers, worker => worker.DoWork(testStart).Wait());
}
static void PerformTest_TaskWaitAll(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
Task.WaitAll(workers.Select(worker => worker.DoWork(testStart)).ToArray());
}
static Task PerformTest_TaskWhenAll(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
return Task.WhenAll(workers.Select(worker => worker.DoWork(testStart)));
}
}
}
And here’s what we got as a result:
Starting test: Parallel.ForEach...
Worker 1 started on thread 1, beginning 0.21 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 5, beginning 0.21 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 3, beginning 0.21 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 6, beginning 0.21 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 4, beginning 0.21 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.90 seconds, and it finished 2.11 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 3.89 seconds, and it finished 4.10 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 5.89 seconds, and it finished 6.10 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 5.90 seconds, and it finished 6.11 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 8.89 seconds, and it finished 9.10 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 9.10 seconds.
Starting test: Task.WaitAll...
Worker 1 started on thread 1, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 1, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 1, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 1, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 1, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.00 seconds, and it finished 1.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 2.00 seconds, and it finished 2.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 3.00 seconds, and it finished 3.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 4.00 seconds, and it finished 4.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 5.00 seconds, and it finished 5.01 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 5.01 seconds.
Starting test: Task.WhenAll...
Worker 1 started on thread 1, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 1, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 1, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 1, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 1, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.00 seconds, and it finished 1.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 2.00 seconds, and it finished 2.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 3.00 seconds, and it finished 3.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 4.00 seconds, and it finished 4.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 5.00 seconds, and it finished 5.00 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 5.00 seconds.
Answered by RiaanDP
Solution #3
Since the API you’re calling is async, the Parallel. ForEach version doesn’t make much sense. You shouldnt use . Wait in the WaitAll version since that would lose the parallelism Another alternative if the caller is async is using Task. WhenAll after doing Select and ToArray to generate the array of tasks. A second alternative is using Rx 2.0
Answered by James Manning
Solution #4
You can make use of Task. You can pass n tasks to the WhenAll function; Task. WhenAll returns a task that runs until all of the tasks you supplied to Task have completed. When everything is finished. On Task, you must wait asynchronously. To avoid blocking your UI thread, use WhenAll:
public async Task DoSomeThing() {
Task[] tasks = new Task[numTasks];
for(int i = 0; i < numTask; i++)
{
tasks[i] = CallSomeAsync();
}
await Task.WhenAll(tasks);
// code that'll execute on UI thread
}
Answered by Ahmed Wasim
Solution #5
Parallel. ForEach requires a list of user-defined workers as well as a non-async Action to be performed on each of them.
Task. Task and WaitAll WhenAll requires a ListTask>, which is an asynchronous task by definition.
I found RiaanDP’s response very useful to understand the difference, but it needs a correction for Parallel.ForEach. I don’t have enough clout to answer to his comment, so I’ll respond on my own.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace AsyncTest
{
class Program
{
class Worker
{
public int Id;
public int SleepTimeout;
public void DoWork(DateTime testStart)
{
var workerStart = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} started on thread {1}, beginning {2} seconds after test start.",
Id, Thread.CurrentThread.ManagedThreadId, (workerStart - testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
Thread.Sleep(SleepTimeout);
var workerEnd = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} stopped; the worker took {1} seconds, and it finished {2} seconds after the test start.",
Id, (workerEnd - workerStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"), (workerEnd - testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
}
public async Task DoWorkAsync(DateTime testStart)
{
var workerStart = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} started on thread {1}, beginning {2} seconds after test start.",
Id, Thread.CurrentThread.ManagedThreadId, (workerStart - testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
await Task.Run(() => Thread.Sleep(SleepTimeout));
var workerEnd = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Worker {0} stopped; the worker took {1} seconds, and it finished {2} seconds after the test start.",
Id, (workerEnd - workerStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"), (workerEnd - testStart).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
}
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var workers = new List<Worker>
{
new Worker { Id = 1, SleepTimeout = 1000 },
new Worker { Id = 2, SleepTimeout = 2000 },
new Worker { Id = 3, SleepTimeout = 3000 },
new Worker { Id = 4, SleepTimeout = 4000 },
new Worker { Id = 5, SleepTimeout = 5000 },
};
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Parallel.ForEach...");
PerformTest_ParallelForEach(workers, startTime);
var endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Task.WaitAll...");
PerformTest_TaskWaitAll(workers, startTime);
endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
startTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Starting test: Task.WhenAll...");
var task = PerformTest_TaskWhenAll(workers, startTime);
task.Wait();
endTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("Test finished after {0} seconds.\n",
(endTime - startTime).TotalSeconds.ToString("F2"));
Console.ReadKey();
}
static void PerformTest_ParallelForEach(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
Parallel.ForEach(workers, worker => worker.DoWork(testStart));
}
static void PerformTest_TaskWaitAll(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
Task.WaitAll(workers.Select(worker => worker.DoWorkAsync(testStart)).ToArray());
}
static Task PerformTest_TaskWhenAll(List<Worker> workers, DateTime testStart)
{
return Task.WhenAll(workers.Select(worker => worker.DoWorkAsync(testStart)));
}
}
}
The output is shown below. The execution times are similar. This test was run while my PC was performing its weekly anti-virus scan. The execution times of the tests were affected by the order in which they were run.
Starting test: Parallel.ForEach...
Worker 1 started on thread 9, beginning 0.02 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 10, beginning 0.02 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 11, beginning 0.02 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 13, beginning 0.03 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 14, beginning 0.03 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.00 seconds, and it finished 1.02 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 2.00 seconds, and it finished 2.02 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 3.00 seconds, and it finished 3.03 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 4.00 seconds, and it finished 4.03 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 5.00 seconds, and it finished 5.03 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 5.03 seconds.
Starting test: Task.WaitAll...
Worker 1 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 9, beginning 0.01 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.00 seconds, and it finished 1.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 2.00 seconds, and it finished 2.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 3.00 seconds, and it finished 3.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 4.00 seconds, and it finished 4.01 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 5.00 seconds, and it finished 5.01 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 5.01 seconds.
Starting test: Task.WhenAll...
Worker 1 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 2 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 3 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 4 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 5 started on thread 9, beginning 0.00 seconds after test start.
Worker 1 stopped; the worker took 1.00 seconds, and it finished 1.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 2 stopped; the worker took 2.00 seconds, and it finished 2.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 3 stopped; the worker took 3.00 seconds, and it finished 3.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 4 stopped; the worker took 4.00 seconds, and it finished 4.00 seconds after the test start.
Worker 5 stopped; the worker took 5.00 seconds, and it finished 5.01 seconds after the test start.
Test finished after 5.01 seconds.
Answered by JPortillo
Post is based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12337671/using-async-await-for-multiple-tasks