Foreign Function Interface vs WebAssembly

Developers should learn and use FFIs when they need to integrate code from different languages, such as calling C libraries from Python for performance gains or accessing system APIs from a higher-level language meets developers should learn webassembly when building performance-critical web applications, such as games, video editing tools, or scientific simulations, where javascript may be too slow. Here's our take.

Foreign Function Interface

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use FFIs when they need to integrate code from different languages, such as calling C libraries from Python for performance gains or accessing system APIs from a higher-level language

Pros

• This is particularly useful in scenarios like scientific computing (using optimized C/Fortran libraries), game development (binding to graphics APIs), or embedded systems (interfacing with hardware drivers)
• Related to: c-language, python-ctypes

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

WebAssembly

Developers should learn WebAssembly when building performance-critical web applications, such as games, video editing tools, or scientific simulations, where JavaScript may be too slow

Pros

• It's also useful for porting existing codebases from languages like C++ to the web without rewriting them in JavaScript
• Related to: javascript, rust

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Foreign Function Interface is a concept while WebAssembly is a platform. We picked Foreign Function Interface based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Foreign Function Interface wins

Based on overall popularity. Foreign Function Interface is more widely used, but WebAssembly excels in its own space.