WebAssembly Error Handling

Why WebAssembly Lacks Native Error Handling? WebAssembly is designed to be a low-level, portable binary instruction format optimized for performance. Its minimalistic design focuses on simplicity, and it delegates advanced features like error handling to the host environment. This decision ensures that WebAssembly remains lightweight and interoperable across platforms. Common Sources of Errors in WebAssembly … Read more

WebAssembly Imports/Exports

What Are Imports in WebAssembly? Imports enable a WebAssembly module to access functionalities or resources defined outside the module. These resources can include: Import Declaration Syntax in .wat: (import “<module_name>” “<field_name>” (<type> …)) Example 1: Importing a Function A WebAssembly module imports a function from the host environment to perform addition. WebAssembly Text Format: (module … Read more

WebAssembly Function Parameters

What Are WebAssembly Function Parameters? Function parameters are variables passed to a function at the time of its invocation. In WebAssembly: Declaring Parameters in WebAssembly In the WebAssembly Text Format (.wat), parameters are declared within the func block using the param keyword. Each parameter is given a type and optionally, a name for readability. Syntax: … Read more

WebAssembly Functions

What Are WebAssembly Functions? A WebAssembly function is a set of instructions that can: These functions are similar to those in high-level languages like JavaScript or Python but follow a low-level, stack-based execution model in WebAssembly. Functions in WebAssembly are statically typed, meaning the number and types of their parameters and return values must be … Read more

WebAssembly Operators

What are Operators in WebAssembly? In WebAssembly, operators are instructions executed on values pushed to the stack. Since WebAssembly is a stack-based language, all operations take their operands from the stack and push the results back onto the stack. Operators are divided into several categories based on their functionality: 1. Arithmetic Operators Arithmetic operators perform … Read more

WebAssembly Variables

What are Variables in WebAssembly? In WebAssembly, variables are storage locations within a function that temporarily hold values during execution. Unlike many high-level programming languages, WebAssembly does not support global variables directly in the same way. Instead, variables are local to the function scope and are limited to the value types supported by WebAssembly, such … Read more

WebAssembly Data Types

Categories of WebAssembly Data Types WebAssembly organizes its data types into the following categories: Each category serves a specific purpose and contributes to WebAssembly’s ability to handle diverse programming tasks. 1. Value Types Value types are the primary data types used for computations in WebAssembly. These types are directly supported by the WebAssembly virtual machine … Read more

WebAssembly Linear Memory

What is Linear Memory in WebAssembly? Linear memory in WebAssembly is a contiguous block of memory (an array of bytes) that is used by WebAssembly modules to store data. This memory is: Characteristics of WebAssembly Linear Memory Defining Linear Memory in WebAssembly Linear memory must be explicitly declared in a WebAssembly module. It can either … Read more

WebAssembly Memory Model

What is the WebAssembly Memory Model? In WebAssembly, memory is a linear array of bytes used for reading, writing, and storing data. This memory is shared between the WebAssembly module and the host environment (such as JavaScript). The memory model provides: Key characteristics: Why is the Memory Model Important? How to Define Memory in a … Read more

WebAssembly Instance

What is a WebAssembly Instance? A WebAssembly instance is an object created from a module that: In simple terms, an instance is how WebAssembly code interacts with the outside world, such as JavaScript or other WebAssembly modules. Key Features of WebAssembly Instances How to Create a WebAssembly Instance WebAssembly instances are created using the JavaScript … Read more