🧩 What is WebAssembly (WASM)?
WebAssembly (WASM) is a low-level, binary format that allows code written in languages like C, C++, Rust, Go, etc. to run in the browser at near-native speed — alongside JavaScript.
✅ It’s designed for performance-heavy applications like video editing, gaming, 3D rendering, and more — right inside the browser.
🚀 Why Use WebAssembly?
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| ⚡ High Performance | Runs at near-native speed in the browser |
| 🌐 Cross-Language Support | Compile from C, C++, Rust, Go, etc. |
| 🧠 Browser Compatibility | Supported in all modern browsers |
| 🔐 Safe and Sandboxed | Runs securely in a browser sandbox |
| 🧩 Works with JS | You can call WASM from JavaScript and vice versa |
🧱 Use Cases for WebAssembly
🎮 Games (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine games on the web)
🎥 Video/audio processing
🧮 Scientific computing & simulations
🧬 Image recognition / machine learning
📐 CAD, 3D modeling
🧰 Porting native desktop apps to the web
🧑💻 Example: JS + WASM in Action
Let’s say you have a C function:
✅ Compile to WebAssembly using Emscripten:
This gives you add.wasm and add.js, which you can then use in the browser.
✅ Load WASM in JavaScript:
🔧 Tools for Building with WASM
| Tool / Language | Description |
|---|---|
| Emscripten | Compile C/C++ to WASM |
| Rust + wasm-pack | Best-in-class for WebAssembly projects |
| AssemblyScript | Write WASM using TypeScript-like syntax |
| Go (TinyGo) | Compile Go to WebAssembly |
| Blazor WebAssembly | .NET C# apps running in the browser (via WASM) |
📦 WASM vs JavaScript
| Feature | WebAssembly | JavaScript |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 🚀 Faster (compiled) | 🐢 Slower (interpreted) |
| Language Support | C, C++, Rust, Go, etc. | JS only |
| Use Case | CPU-intensive tasks | UI, logic, dynamic rendering |
| Interoperability | ✅ Works with JS | Native |
| Learning Curve | 🧠 Steeper | 😊 Easier |
🛑 Limitations of WebAssembly
❌ Can’t directly access the DOM (needs JS glue code)
🧩 Complex debugging and tooling compared to JS
📦 Larger bundle sizes if not optimized
🛠️ Need a build pipeline (not handwritten)
✅ When Should You Use WebAssembly?
| Scenario | WASM Recommended? |
|---|---|
| Build a blog or landing page | ❌ No |
| Real-time video editor | ✅ Yes |
| Run AI in browser | ✅ Yes |
| Web-based game engine | ✅ Yes |
| Standard web form or UI | ❌ Stick to JavaScript |
