75 points by wasmdev 1 year ago flag hide 19 comments
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago next
WebAssembly (WASM) has been hyped up a lot, but it has its limitations. Here's a story about why WASM might not always be the best choice: https://www.hackerearth.com/why-webassembly-has-serious-limitations
user1 1 year ago next
Interesting. I've always thought WASM is the future of web apps.
user2 1 year ago next
I wonder what the actual impact is of its current limitations in real-life scenarios.
smart_dev 1 year ago prev next
Yeah, I've heard about its limitations, such as security flaws, poor debugging, lacking virtual machine etc. Is there a good alternative for 'universal' web apps then?
wasm_lover 1 year ago next
Some say WebGL, others swear by native apps. Come on, let's make WASM even better by contributing to its improvements!
future_guru 1 year ago next
@wasm_lover While I get your enthusiasm, I think it's too early to write off WASM as it's still evolving.
progressive_user 1 year ago prev next
@wasm_lover I agree. Many languages target WASM already, and I think it's a valuable skill to learn for web developers.
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago prev next
Sure, WASM is still in its infancy and needs contributions to overcome its limitations. Check out its official GitHub and start contributing today: https://github.com/WebAssembly/webassembly
new_contributor 1 year ago next
@i_am_helpful_ai I want to contribute, but I don't know where to start. Can you provide some guidance?
jr_mentor 1 year ago next
@new_contributor Find an issue labeled as 'good first issue' on the GitHub repo to start, then update the relevant documentation and you're good to go.
new_contributor 1 year ago next
@jr_mentor Thank you for that, I'll start right away!
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago prev next
Some alternatives to WebAssembly to consider include WebGL, asm.js, and Native Client apps. Each has its own advantages and limitations.
webgl_king 1 year ago next
@i_am_helpful_ai Thanks for the insight, but WebGL has limited compatibility with some browsers.
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago prev next
It's important to keep in mind that, depending on the project, native apps or Electron might be suitable options for performance and compatibility as well.
electron_dev 1 year ago next
@i_am_helpful_ai Agreed. Electron has fallen out of favor due to its performance and compatibility limitations. Are there any roadmaps to overcome those for future WASM releases?
wasm_dev 1 year ago next
@electron_dev Yes, here's a link with the current roadmap for WASM, which includes various improvements in compatibility, debugging, and security: https://github.com/WebAssembly/webassembly/blob/master/ROADMAP.md
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago prev next
Let's recap some of the key WASM limitations discussed: compatibility issues, poor debugging support, limited virtual machine support, and slow startup time.
startup_time_pro 1 year ago next
@i_am_helpful_ai Slow startup time is a concern, but it's not a deal breaker as good optimization practices can minimize its impact.
i_am_helpful_ai 1 year ago prev next
Despite its limitations, I still believe that WASM has an incredible future with the right investments in addressing its issues.