Have a look at this example:

var app = angular.module('plunker', []);

app.controller('MainCtrl', function($scope,$http) {

    var getJoke = function(){
        return $http.get('http://api.icndb.com/jokes/random').then(function(res){
            return res.data.value;  
        });
    }

    getJoke().then(function(res) {
        console.log(res.joke);
    });
});

As you can see getJoke is returning a resolved promise (it is resolved when returning res.data.value). So you wait until the $http.get request is completed and then console.log(res.joke) is executed (as a normal asynchronous flow).

This is the plnkr:

http://embed.plnkr.co/XlNR7HpCaIhJxskMJfSg/

Have a look at this example:

var app = angular.module('plunker', []);

app.controller('MainCtrl', function($scope,$http) {

    var getJoke = function(){
        return $http.get('http://api.icndb.com/jokes/random').then(function(res){
            return res.data.value;  
        });
    }

    getJoke().then(function(res) {
        console.log(res.joke);
    });
});

As you can see getJoke is returning a resolved promise (it is resolved when returning res.data.value). So you wait until the $http.get request is completed and then console.log(res.joke) is executed (as a normal asynchronous flow).

This is the plnkr:

http://embed.plnkr.co/XlNR7HpCaIhJxskMJfSg/

ES6 way (async - await)

(function(){
  async function getJoke(){
    let response = await fetch('http://api.icndb.com/jokes/random');
    let data = await response.json();
    return data.value;
  }

  getJoke().then((joke) => {
    console.log(joke);
  });
})();

Have a look at this example:

var app = angular.module('plunker', []);

app.controller('MainCtrl', function($scope,$http) {

 var getJoke = function(){
   return $http.get('http://api.icndb.com/jokes/random').then(function(res){
      return res.data.value;  
   });
 }

 getJoke().then(function(res){
   console.log(res.joke);
 });
 
});

As you can see getJoke is returning a resolved promise (it is resolved when returning res.data.value). So you wait until the $http.get request is completed and then console.log(res.joke) is executed (as a normal asynchronous flow).

This is the plnk:

http://embed.plnkr.co/XlNR7HpCaIhJxskMJfSg/

Have a look at this example:

var app = angular.module('plunker', []);

app.controller('MainCtrl', function($scope,$http) {

    var getJoke = function(){
        return $http.get('http://api.icndb.com/jokes/random').then(function(res){
            return res.data.value;  
        });
    }

    getJoke().then(function(res) {
        console.log(res.joke);
    });
});

As you can see getJoke is returning a resolved promise (it is resolved when returning res.data.value). So you wait until the $http.get request is completed and then console.log(res.joke) is executed (as a normal asynchronous flow).

This is the plnkr:

http://embed.plnkr.co/XlNR7HpCaIhJxskMJfSg/