title: How to execute an async task with socket.io and node.js?
body: <p>When I receive an "on" event on the server side, I want to start a task in parallel so it does not block the current event loop thread. Is it possible to do so? How?</p>
  
  <p>I don't want to block the server side loop and I want to be able to send back a message to the client once the task is done, something such as:</p>
  
  <pre><code>client.on('execute-parallel-task', function(msg) {
      setTimeout(function() {
          // do something that takes a while
          client.emit('finished-that-task');
      },0);
      // this block should return asap, not waiting for the previous call
  });
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am not sure if setTimeout will do the job.</p>