1. React
  2. ReactiveConf
  3. 2019
  4. Rust in the Browser for Javascripters: New Frontiers, New Possibilities

Editor's Choice

Rust in the Browser for Javascripters: New Frontiers, New Possibilities

Sean gives an amazing overview of Rust, for JS developers.

Sean Grove at ReactiveConf 2019

Thanks to wasm, Rust can reach the platform with the largest reach: the browser. We’ll take a look at how thanks to the impressive language design, thoughtful compiler error messages, and great documentation, JavaScripters can unlock high-performance concurrency and graphics thanks to Rust. We’ll step through Rust/wasm/JS interop, see what it’s like to get a reference to a canvas instance, to communicate with services workers, and to pass data between all the pieces involved. We’ll take a look at what’s enabled, as well as pitfalls around the data boundaries involved, and the size of the final payload, so that it’s clear where the cost of introducing Rust is outweighed by its benefits. Finally, we’ll speculate on how the web may develop, with a Rust-core/JavaScript-surface design, combining high performance, safety, while maintaining ease-of-use.