How Can I Get Jquery to Perform a Synchronous, Rather than Asynchronous, Ajax Request?

How can I get jQuery to perform a synchronous, rather than asynchronous, Ajax request?

When using jQuery’s Ajax functionality, requests are typically performed asynchronously by default. However, there may be cases where you need to make synchronous Ajax requests, where the execution of your code is paused until the request is complete. In this blog post, we will explore two approaches to achieve synchronous Ajax requests using jQuery.

Approach 1: Using the async option

One way to make a synchronous Ajax request with jQuery is by setting the async option to false in the $.ajax() or $.get() method. This forces the request to be synchronous, blocking the execution of your code until the request is complete.

$.ajax({
  url: 'your-url',
  type: 'GET',
  async: false,
  success: function(response) {
    // Handle the response
  },
  error: function(xhr, status, error) {
    // Handle errors
  }
});

By setting async: false, the Ajax request will be performed synchronously, and the success or error callback functions will be executed only after the request is complete.

Approach 2: Using the $.ajaxSetup() method

If you want to make all your Ajax requests synchronous throughout your application, you can use the $.ajaxSetup() method to set the default options for all future Ajax requests. This allows you to avoid repeating the async: false option in every request.

$.ajaxSetup({
  async: false
});

// Make your Ajax request
$.ajax({
  url: 'your-url',
  type: 'GET',
  success: function(response) {
    // Handle the response
  },
  error: function(xhr, status, error) {
    // Handle errors
  }
});

By calling $.ajaxSetup({ async: false }), all subsequent Ajax requests will be performed synchronously unless explicitly overridden.

Conclusion

Both approaches allow you to make synchronous Ajax requests with jQuery. However, it’s important to note that synchronous requests can block the user interface and make your application appear unresponsive. As a best practice, it is generally recommended to use asynchronous requests whenever possible to ensure a smooth user experience.