Guide to the AsyncDrop pattern for async cleanup in Rust. Use when working with AsyncDropGuard, implementing AsyncDrop trait, or handling async resource cleanup.
View on GitHubJanuary 18, 2026
Select agents to install to:
npx add-skill https://github.com/cryfs/cryfs/blob/d93aee499e27d4d390e9417ee99b32da8f154b80/.claude/skills/async-drop/SKILL.md -a claude-code --skill async-dropInstallation paths:
.claude/skills/async-drop/# AsyncDrop Pattern Guide
The AsyncDrop pattern enables async cleanup for types that hold resources requiring asynchronous teardown (network connections, file handles, background tasks, etc.).
## Core Concept
Rust's `Drop` trait is synchronous, but sometimes cleanup needs to be async. The AsyncDrop pattern solves this by:
1. Wrapping values in `AsyncDropGuard<T>`
2. Requiring explicit `async_drop().await` calls
3. Panicking if cleanup is forgotten
## Quick Reference
```rust
// Creating
let mut guard = AsyncDropGuard::new(my_value);
// Using (transparent via Deref)
guard.do_something();
// Cleanup (REQUIRED before dropping)
guard.async_drop().await?;
```
## The AsyncDrop Trait
```rust
#[async_trait]
pub trait AsyncDrop {
type Error: Debug;
async fn async_drop_impl(&mut self) -> Result<(), Self::Error>;
}
```
## Essential Rules
| Rule | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Always call async_drop()** | Every `AsyncDropGuard` must have `async_drop()` called |
| **Factory methods return guards** | `fn new() -> AsyncDropGuard<Self>`, never plain `Self` |
| **Types with guard members impl AsyncDrop** | Delegate to member async_drops |
| **Use the macro when possible** | `with_async_drop_2!` handles cleanup automatically |
| **Panics are exceptions** | It's OK to skip async_drop on panic paths |
## The `with_async_drop_2!` Macro
Automatically calls `async_drop()` on scope exit:
```rust
let resource = get_resource().await?;
with_async_drop_2!(resource, {
// Use resource here
resource.do_work().await?;
Ok(result)
})
```
## Additional References
- [patterns.md](patterns.md) - Implementation patterns and examples
- [gotchas.md](gotchas.md) - Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- [helpers.md](helpers.md) - Helper types (AsyncDropArc, AsyncDropHashMap, etc.)
## Location
Implementation: `crates/utils/src/async_drop/`