[/
 / Copyright (c) 2003-2025 Christopher M. Kohlhoff (chris at kohlhoff dot com)
 /
 / Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
 / file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
 /]

[section:futures Futures]

The `boost::asio::use_future` completion token provides first-class support for
returning a `std::future` from an asynchronous operation's initiating function.

To use `boost::asio::use_future`, pass it to an asynchronous operation instead of
a completion handler. For example:

  std::future<std::size_t> length =
    my_socket.async_read_some(my_buffer, boost::asio::use_future);

Where a completion signature has the form:

  void handler(boost::system::error_code ec, result_type result);

the initiating function returns a `std::future` templated on `result_type`.
In the above example, this is `std::size_t`. If the asynchronous operation
fails, the `error_code` is converted into a `system_error` exception and
passed back to the caller through the future.

Where a completion signature has the form:

  void handler(boost::system::error_code ec);

the initiating function returns `std::future<void>`. As above, an error
is passed back in the future as a `system_error` exception.

[heading See Also]

[link boost_asio.reference.use_future use_future],
[link boost_asio.reference.use_future_t use_future_t],
[link boost_asio.examples.cpp11_examples.futures Futures example (C++11)].

[endsect]
