WebAssembly
also: WASM, Wasm
WebAssembly (WASM) is a binary instruction format and virtual machine that enables high-performance execution of code in web browsers and other environments, providing near-native speed while maintaining sandboxed security.
WebAssembly is a low-level bytecode format designed to run in web browsers with performance approaching compiled native code. It allows developers to write performance-critical applications in languages like C, C++, Rust, or Go, then compile them to WASM for execution in the browser.
On Linux, WebAssembly has expanded beyond browsers into server-side and embedded contexts through runtimes like wasmtime, wasmer, and crun. These allow WASM modules to be executed as lightweight, sandboxed processes with minimal overhead.
Example: A developer writes image processing code in Rust, compiles it to a .wasm file, and embeds it in a web page or Linux container. The WASM runtime executes it efficiently while isolating it from the host system through a secure sandbox.