WebAssembly (WASM) has evolved from a low-level compilation target for C and C++ into a pivotal modern computing technology. It supports browser applications, edge compute platforms, embedded systems, and a growing range of languages that prioritize a portable and secure execution model.
Andreas Rossberg, a programming languages researcher and former member of Google’s V8 team, played a critical role in the development of WebAssembly, from its early ideas to the latest 3.0 spec. This significant version introduces garbage collection, richer reference types, and enhances multi-language interoperability.
In a discussion with Kevin Ball, Andreas explores WebAssembly’s history, its initial design constraints, the pivotal developments in versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0, and future advancements for the technology.
Kevin Ball (KBall), Vice President of Engineering at Mento and an independent coach, co-founded and served as CTO for two companies, established the San Diego JavaScript meetup, and organizes the AI inaction discussion group through Latent Space.
For the episode transcript, please [click here](http://softwareengineeringdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SED1890-WASM.txt).