WebAssembly: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:33, 15 February 2025

WebAssembly (abbreviated Wasm) is a binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine. It is designed as a portable compilation target for programming languages, enabling deployment on the web for client and server applications.

Overview[edit]

WebAssembly is a low-level bytecode format that can be executed in web browsers. It is designed to be a compilation target for high-level languages like C, C++, and Rust, allowing these languages to run on the web with near-native performance.

WebAssembly is supported by all major web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari. It is developed by the W3C and is considered a web standard.

Features[edit]

WebAssembly provides several key features:

Portability: WebAssembly code can run on any platform that has a WebAssembly runtime, making it highly portable.
Performance: WebAssembly is designed to execute at near-native speed by taking advantage of common hardware capabilities.
Security: WebAssembly runs in a sandboxed execution environment, which helps to protect the host system from potentially malicious code.
Interoperability: WebAssembly can interoperate with JavaScript, allowing developers to call WebAssembly functions from JavaScript and vice versa.

Architecture[edit]

WebAssembly is based on a stack machine architecture. It uses a binary format that is compact and efficient to parse, making it suitable for fast download and execution in web browsers.

The WebAssembly module is the basic unit of code in WebAssembly. A module contains functions, tables, memories, and global variables. Functions are the primary building blocks of WebAssembly code, and they are defined using a simple instruction set.

Development[edit]

WebAssembly was first announced in 2015 and has since become a key technology for web development. It is developed by a consortium of major technology companies, including Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Apple.

The WebAssembly specification is maintained by the W3C WebAssembly Working Group. The group is responsible for defining the core features of WebAssembly and ensuring its compatibility across different platforms.

Applications[edit]

WebAssembly is used in a variety of applications, including:

Web applications: WebAssembly allows developers to run complex applications in the browser, such as games, video editors, and CAD software.
Server-side applications: WebAssembly can be used on the server side, enabling developers to run WebAssembly code in environments like Node.js.
Embedded systems: WebAssembly's portability makes it suitable for use in embedded systems and IoT devices.

Future Developments[edit]

The WebAssembly community is actively working on several future developments, including:

Garbage collection: Adding support for garbage collection to improve the performance of languages that rely on it.
Threads: Enhancing support for multithreading to allow WebAssembly applications to take advantage of multi-core processors.
SIMD: Adding support for Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) to improve performance for certain types of computations.

Related pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-WebAssembly: A Powerful Tool for Web Development
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:WebAssembly}}
+[[File:WebAssembly_Logo.svg|thumb|right|The official WebAssembly logo]]
-WebAssembly, often abbreviated as Wasm, is a binary instruction format that serves as a compilation target for programming languages. It allows developers to run high-performance applications on the web, bridging the gap between web and native applications. In this article, we will explore the key features and benefits of WebAssembly, as well as its impact on web development.
+'''WebAssembly''' (abbreviated '''Wasm''') is a binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine. It is designed as a portable compilation target for programming languages, enabling deployment on the web for client and server applications.
-== Overview ==
+==Overview==
-WebAssembly is designed to be a low-level virtual machine that runs code at near-native speed. It provides a compact binary format that can be efficiently transmitted over the network and quickly decoded by web browsers. This makes it an ideal choice for performance-critical applications, such as games, video editing tools, and scientific simulations.
+WebAssembly is a low-level bytecode format that can be executed in web browsers. It is designed to be a compilation target for high-level languages like [[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]], and [[Rust (programming language)|Rust]], allowing these languages to run on the web with near-native performance.
-== History ==
+WebAssembly is supported by all major web browsers, including [[Google Chrome]], [[Mozilla Firefox]], [[Microsoft Edge]], and [[Apple Safari]]. It is developed by the [[World Wide Web Consortium|W3C]] and is considered a web standard.
-WebAssembly was first announced in 2015 as a collaboration between major browser vendors, including Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Apple. The goal was to create a portable and efficient binary format that could be executed on the web. Since then, WebAssembly has gained significant traction and is now supported by all major web browsers.
-== Key Features ==
+==Features==
-WebAssembly offers several key features that make it a powerful tool for web development:
+WebAssembly provides several key features:
-[[Performance]]: WebAssembly is designed to execute code at near-native speed, making it significantly faster than traditional JavaScript. This allows developers to build complex applications that run smoothly and efficiently on the web.
+* '''Portability''': WebAssembly code can run on any platform that has a WebAssembly runtime, making it highly portable.
+* '''Performance''': WebAssembly is designed to execute at near-native speed by taking advantage of common hardware capabilities.
+* '''Security''': WebAssembly runs in a sandboxed execution environment, which helps to protect the host system from potentially malicious code.
+* '''Interoperability''': WebAssembly can interoperate with JavaScript, allowing developers to call WebAssembly functions from JavaScript and vice versa.
-[[Portability]]: WebAssembly is platform-independent, meaning it can run on any device or operating system that supports it. This makes it easier for developers to create applications that work seamlessly across different platforms.
+==Architecture==
+WebAssembly is based on a stack machine architecture. It uses a binary format that is compact and efficient to parse, making it suitable for fast download and execution in web browsers.
-[[Security]]: WebAssembly runs in a sandboxed environment, which provides an additional layer of security. It ensures that the code executed within the browser cannot access sensitive user data or interfere with other web pages.
+The WebAssembly module is the basic unit of code in WebAssembly. A module contains functions, tables, memories, and global variables. Functions are the primary building blocks of WebAssembly code, and they are defined using a simple instruction set.
-[[Interoperability]]: WebAssembly can be seamlessly integrated with existing web technologies, such as JavaScript and HTML. This allows developers to leverage their existing codebase and libraries while taking advantage of the performance benefits offered by WebAssembly.
+==Development==
+WebAssembly was first announced in 2015 and has since become a key technology for web development. It is developed by a consortium of major technology companies, including [[Google]], [[Mozilla]], [[Microsoft]], and [[Apple]].
-== Benefits ==
+The WebAssembly specification is maintained by the [[World Wide Web Consortium|W3C]] WebAssembly Working Group. The group is responsible for defining the core features of WebAssembly and ensuring its compatibility across different platforms.
-The adoption of WebAssembly brings several benefits to web development:
-[[Improved Performance]]: WebAssembly allows developers to build high-performance applications that can handle computationally intensive tasks. This opens up new possibilities for web-based gaming, multimedia editing, and other resource-intensive applications.
+==Applications==
+WebAssembly is used in a variety of applications, including:
-[[Code Reusability]]: With WebAssembly, developers can reuse existing code written in languages like C, C++, and Rust. This eliminates the need to rewrite code in JavaScript, saving time and effort.
+* '''Web applications''': WebAssembly allows developers to run complex applications in the browser, such as games, video editors, and CAD software.
+* '''Server-side applications''': WebAssembly can be used on the server side, enabling developers to run WebAssembly code in environments like [[Node.js]].
+* '''Embedded systems''': WebAssembly's portability makes it suitable for use in embedded systems and [[Internet of Things|IoT]] devices.
-[[Broader Language Support]]: WebAssembly supports multiple programming languages, enabling developers to choose the language that best suits their needs. This flexibility encourages innovation and allows developers to leverage their existing skills.
+==Future Developments==
+The WebAssembly community is actively working on several future developments, including:
-[[Enhanced User Experience]]: By leveraging the power of WebAssembly, developers can create web applications that provide a seamless and responsive user experience. This leads to higher user engagement and satisfaction.
+* '''Garbage collection''': Adding support for garbage collection to improve the performance of languages that rely on it.
+* '''Threads''': Enhancing support for multithreading to allow WebAssembly applications to take advantage of multi-core processors.
+* '''SIMD''': Adding support for Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) to improve performance for certain types of computations.
-== Conclusion ==
+==Related pages==
-WebAssembly is revolutionizing web development by providing a performant and portable execution environment for web applications. Its ability to run code at near-native speed, combined with its interoperability and security features, makes it an attractive choice for developers looking to build high-performance web applications. As WebAssembly continues to evolve and gain wider adoption, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the web development landscape.
+* [[JavaScript]]
+* [[HTML5]]
+* [[World Wide Web Consortium]]
+* [[Node.js]]
-[[Category:Web Development]]
+[[Category:Web development]]
-[[Category:Web Technologies]]
+[[Category:Programming languages]]
-[[Category:Programming Languages]]
+[[Category:World Wide Web]]
-[[Category:Virtual Machines]]
-[[Category:Web Standards]]
-[[Category:WebAssembly]]