asm.js vs WebAssembly

Developers should learn asm meets developers should learn webassembly when they need to run computationally intensive tasks in the browser, such as 3d graphics, audio processing, or complex algorithms, where javascript performance is insufficient. Here's our take.

asm.js

Nice Pick

Developers should learn asm

Pros

• js when they need to port existing C/C++ codebases to the web while maintaining high performance, as it provides a straightforward compilation path with minimal overhead
• Related to: javascript, webassembly

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

WebAssembly

Developers should learn WebAssembly when they need to run computationally intensive tasks in the browser, such as 3D graphics, audio processing, or complex algorithms, where JavaScript performance is insufficient

Pros

• It is particularly useful for porting existing codebases written in languages like C++ to the web without rewriting them in JavaScript, enabling reuse of libraries and tools
• Related to: javascript, rust

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. asm.js is a language while WebAssembly is a platform. We picked asm.js based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

asm.js wins

Based on overall popularity. asm.js is more widely used, but WebAssembly excels in its own space.