How do you implement a timeout around an async operation?

Short Interview Answer

AbortController + fetch signal, or Promise.race with a timer that aborts/cancels underlying work.

Detailed Explanation

Racing alone without cancelation leaves work running. Prefer abortable APIs. Clear timers to avoid leaks.

Example

const ac = new AbortController();
setTimeout(() => ac.abort(), 5000);
await fetch(url, { signal: ac.signal });