WebAssembly

WebAssembly is a portable binary instruction format designed for efficient execution in web browsers and other environments. It provides a compact, sandboxed target for compiling programs written in languages such as C, C++, and Rust.

WebAssembly module: A validated binary or textual unit containing WebAssembly code, declarations, and data. Modules package functions, types, imports, exports, and memory for execution.
Bytecode: An instruction representation designed for execution by a virtual machine or runtime rather than directly by a processor. WebAssembly belongs to the broader family of executable bytecode formats.
Emscripten: A compiler toolchain that ports C and C++ applications to WebAssembly and JavaScript environments. It made many existing native codebases usable in web pages through WebAssembly.
JavaScript: A programming language standardized for web browsers and also used in server and application runtimes. JavaScript is WebAssembly's closest browser-side counterpart and often supplies its host environment.
WebAssembly virtual machine: An abstract machine that defines how WebAssembly instructions execute and interact with runtime resources. Its rules let different engines execute the same module consistently.
Compiler: Software that translates programs from one representation or language into another. Compilers commonly translate C, C++, and Rust into WebAssembly modules.
AssemblyScript: A TypeScript-like language and compiler that targets WebAssembly. It offers a familiar syntax for building WebAssembly modules without compiling C or C++.
asm.js: A strict subset of JavaScript designed to support ahead-of-time optimization of compiled code. WebAssembly succeeded asm.js as a more compact, purpose-built compilation target.
WebAssembly System Interface: A standardized interface through which WebAssembly programs access operating-system-like services. WASI extends modules beyond browser APIs with controlled access to files and other services.
Virtual machine: A software system that provides an execution environment modeled independently of a physical machine. WebAssembly engines implement a virtual machine defined by the format's specification.

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