Scala.js and WebAssembly, a tale of the dangers of the sea

Scala.js compiles to JavaScript with two major goals in mind: interoperability with JavaScript libraries, and portability with respect to Scala/JVM. With the rise of WebAssembly as an alternative to JavaScript in the browser, one cannot help but wonder whether we could compile Scala.js to WebAssembly, with the promise of better performance. Unfortunately, WebAssembly quickly appears as a siren, and the path to it navigates between Charybdis and Scylla, the threats to interoperability and portability. Come and explore the sea with us, and meet its dangers.

Session length

40 minutes

Language of the presentation

English

Target audience

Intermediate: Requires a basic knowledge of the area

Who is your session intended to

Users who want to understand the challenges of compiling Scala.js to WebAssembly

Speaker

Sébastien Doeraene (EPFL - Scala Center - Executive Director)

• Scala Days 2013-2017
• Scala Matsuri 2017

Contributes

• Scala.js Core (author and maintainer)