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technologyreview.com·5d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·May 20·5 min read
Saying Goodbye to Asm.js
TL;DR
Asm.js, a subset of JavaScript designed to run compiled C/C++ code in browsers at near-native speed, is being phased out. WebAssembly (WASM), a lower-level bytecode format, replaced it by offering better performance, smaller file sizes, and broader language support.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers maintaining legacy Asm.js codebases should plan migration to WebAssembly to ensure future browser compatibility and performance.
Key Takeaways
- Recompile existing asm.js code to WebAssembly for better performance.
- Expect smaller binaries and faster execution with WebAssembly.
- Stay updated on Firefox releases to avoid deprecated features.
- Utilize WebAssembly's advanced pipeline for future projects.
How It Works
asm.js is a strict subset of JavaScript that allows engines to optimize code execution by compiling it to native code on the fly. This approach enabled web applications to achieve performance levels similar to native applications without requiring separate sandboxes or alternative APIs.