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How does Node.js track async context at runtime and what are its limitations?

Expert NodeJS
Quick Answer Node.js tracks async context via async_hooks รขโ‚ฌโ€ each async operation gets an async resource with an ID. When a callback runs, Node restores the async context of its parent. AsyncLocalStorage uses this to propagate key-value stores through async chains automatically. Limitations: performance overhead in high-throughput paths, and not all async sources support it perfectly.

Answer

Node uses async_hooks to track async boundaries. Limitations include overhead, incomplete coverage for some libraries, and microtask behavior that complicates context propagation.
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