That's false. Module loading and execution are separate stages. The dependent modules would load before this await is ever reached.

Wait... so the OP's premise is completely wrong? Doesn't the body of a module have to complete before dependent modules will execute their bodies?

In other words, if you put

    for (let i = 0; i < 10e8; i++)
        // blah

in the body of a module, wouldn't that block dependent modules for the duration of the loop?

Would top-level await be different?

edit The premise, as I understand it, is that the module itself is treated as the "currently-executing method" for the purpose of the `await`.

It would block dependent module execution, but not dependent module fetching, which is the actual expensive part.

It's kinda funny how the semantics of this thing are so non-obvious and nuanced, that it takes so much effort to explain to people how it works :)

It's not that complicated; unfortunately a lot of FUD has been spread about alternate models based on misconceptions, which definitely makes it tricky to explain because you have to overcome that FUD.

Sounds like I misunderstood. Thanks for the correction!