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VOL. 9, ISSUE 1 (2025)
Web Assembly: Performance gains and use cases for modern browsers
Authors
Atonuje O. E., Okumoku Evroro O., Ihonvbere W., Omena R. A.
Abstract
Web Assembly (Wasm) is a binary instruction
format that serves as a portable compilation target for high-level programming
languages like C, C++, and Rust. Its introduction represents a paradigm shift
in web development, aiming to execute code on the web at near-native speed.
This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Web Assembly, focusing on the
technical foundations that enable its significant performance gains over
traditional JavaScript. We explore its stack-based virtual machine
architecture, linear memory model, and execution model within the modern
browser's JavaScript engine. The performance benefits are quantified through
comparative analysis of computational tasks, highlighting Wasm's superiority in
domains requiring intensive computation, such as graphics rendering, scientific
simulation, and cryptography. Furthermore, this article details the expanding
ecosystem of use cases, from enabling desktop-class applications in the browser
to facilitating serverless functions and even non-web embeddings. Despite its
performance advantages, challenges such as the initial lack of garbage
collection for managed languages and developer tooling maturity are discussed.
The conclusion posits that Web Assembly is not a replacement for JavaScript but
a powerful complement that is fundamentally expanding the capabilities of the
web platform, paving the way for a new generation of complex, high-performance
web applications.
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Pages:29-33
How to cite this article:
Atonuje O. E., Okumoku Evroro O., Ihonvbere W., Omena R. A. "Web Assembly: Performance gains and use cases for modern browsers". International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology, Vol 9, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 29-33
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