seniorRust

How does async/await work in Rust internally?

Updated May 24, 2026

Short answer

async/await in Rust compiles into state machines implementing the Future trait.

Deep explanation

Each async function is transformed into a state machine by the compiler. The Future trait defines poll(), which is repeatedly called by an executor. The function pauses at .await points and resumes later. No hidden runtime exists; executors like Tokio schedule tasks cooperatively.

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