In the realm of cloud computing, WebAssembly (Wasm) has emerged as a revolutionary technology that has the potential to reshape how we build and deploy applications on the web. As a binary instruction format, Wasm provides a fast, efficient, and secure means of executing code, making it a powerful tool for cloud-based applications.
But what exactly is WebAssembly? How does it fit into the larger context of cloud computing? And why should software engineers care about it? This glossary entry aims to answer these questions and more, providing an in-depth look at WebAssembly in the context of cloud computing.
Definition of WebAssembly
WebAssembly, often abbreviated as Wasm, is a binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine. It's designed as a portable target for the compilation of high-level languages like C, C++, and Rust, enabling deployment on the web for client and server applications.
As a binary format, Wasm is designed to be compact and efficient for browsers to decode and execute. It's also designed to be safe, running inside a sandboxed execution environment to prevent malicious activities.
WebAssembly vs JavaScript
While JavaScript has been the de facto language of the web for many years, WebAssembly provides a new alternative. Unlike JavaScript, which is a text-based language, WebAssembly is a binary format, which means it's more compact and faster for browsers to parse.
Moreover, WebAssembly is designed to be a compilation target for languages like C, C++, and Rust. This means that developers can write code in these languages and then compile it to WebAssembly to run on the web, opening up new possibilities for web development.
WebAssembly in the Context of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services over the internet, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. In the context of cloud computing, WebAssembly can play a crucial role in improving the performance and security of cloud-based applications.
WebAssembly's compact binary format makes it ideal for cloud environments, where bandwidth and latency can be critical factors. By reducing the size of the code that needs to be transferred over the network, WebAssembly can help to improve the performance of cloud-based applications.
Edge Computing with WebAssembly
One of the areas where WebAssembly is particularly promising in the context of cloud computing is edge computing. Edge computing refers to the practice of moving computation closer to the source of data, reducing latency and bandwidth usage.
WebAssembly's compact and efficient format makes it an excellent choice for edge computing. By running WebAssembly code at the edge of the network, closer to the users, cloud providers can deliver faster, more responsive services.
History of WebAssembly
The development of WebAssembly began in 2015 as a collaborative effort between major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, and Apple. The goal was to create a new format for the web that could provide near-native performance and support for languages other than JavaScript.
WebAssembly 1.0, the first stable version, was released in 2017. Since then, it has been adopted by all major browsers and has seen growing use in cloud computing and other areas.
WebAssembly and the Evolution of the Web
WebAssembly represents a significant step in the evolution of the web. For many years, JavaScript was the only language that could be executed in the browser. With the introduction of WebAssembly, developers now have a new, more efficient way to run code on the web.
Moreover, WebAssembly opens up the web to languages like C, C++, and Rust, which were previously not feasible for web development. This has the potential to bring a new level of performance and capabilities to web applications.
Use Cases for WebAssembly
WebAssembly has a wide range of use cases, from improving the performance of web applications to enabling new types of applications on the web. Here are a few examples:
Performance-critical web applications: WebAssembly's near-native performance makes it ideal for performance-critical web applications, such as games, music applications, CAD applications, and more.
Porting legacy applications to the web: With WebAssembly, it's possible to compile legacy applications written in languages like C and C++ to run on the web, making it easier to port these applications to the web without a complete rewrite.
Edge computing: As mentioned earlier, WebAssembly's compact and efficient format makes it an excellent choice for edge computing, enabling faster, more responsive services.
Examples of WebAssembly in the Cloud
Several cloud providers have started to embrace WebAssembly as a way to improve the performance and security of their services. Here are a few examples:
Cloudflare Workers: Cloudflare Workers is a serverless platform that allows developers to run their code at the edge of Cloudflare's network. In addition to JavaScript, Cloudflare Workers supports WebAssembly, allowing developers to run high-performance code at the edge.
Fastly's Terrarium project: Fastly, a cloud platform that provides content delivery network services, edge computing, and more, has a project called Terrarium that uses WebAssembly for edge computing. With Terrarium, developers can write code in a variety of languages, compile it to WebAssembly, and run it at the edge of Fastly's network.
Shopify's script service: Shopify, an e-commerce platform, uses WebAssembly for its script service, which allows merchants to customize their online stores. By using WebAssembly, Shopify can ensure that these scripts run quickly and securely.
Conclusion
WebAssembly represents a significant advancement in the world of web and cloud computing. Its compact, efficient format and support for languages other than JavaScript make it a powerful tool for improving the performance and capabilities of web and cloud-based applications.
As cloud computing continues to evolve, it's likely that we'll see even more use cases for WebAssembly in the cloud. Whether you're a web developer, a cloud engineer, or just interested in the latest web technologies, it's worth taking the time to understand and explore WebAssembly.