WebAssembly (WASM) is a binary instruction format for stack-based virtual machines. It enables execution of high-performance applications in web browsers at near-native speed while maintaining safe execution environments.
"WASM is not a replacement for JavaScript, but an extension that enables web applications to run in new dimensions of performance." - Dr. Sofia Iversen
From 'WebAssembly: The Next Generation'
Key Characteristics
Performance
- ✓ Near-native execution speed
- ✓ Ahead-of-time compilation
- ✓ Memory-efficient execution
Security
- ✓ Sandboxed execution environment
- ✓ Memory isolation
- ✓ No direct system access
Use Cases
Game Development
High-performance 3D games using C++/Rust compiled to WASM
Image/Video Processing
Real-time manipulation using GPU-accelerated libraries
Blockchain Applications
Smart contract execution in browser-based wallets
Ecosystem Integration
- Can be written in C, C++, Rust, or other compiled languages
- Complements JavaScript rather than replacing it
- Used by major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
Performance
50-80% faster than JavaScript for compute-heavy operations
Adoption
Growing rapidly in gaming, finance, and productivity applications