What is the purpose of the `await` keyword?

The await keyword is used in asynchronous programming with JavaScript, specifically to pause the execution of an async function until a Promise is settled, meaning that it is either resolved or rejected. When await is placed in front of a Promise, the function execution will pause at that line until the Promise resolves, at which point it will continue with the resolved value of that Promise. This allows for a more readable and manageable code structure, especially when dealing with sequences of asynchronous operations that depend on one another.

Using await simplifies the handling of asynchronous code by allowing you to write it in a synchronous-looking manner, rather than relying on chaining .then() methods on Promises. This leads to cleaner and more maintainable code. It’s important to note that await can only be used inside functions defined with the async keyword.