WebAssembly as a Python Extension Platform

4 months ago

Software above a certain complexity level often includes an extension language, with Lua and JavaScript being common examples.
WebAssembly (Wasm) allows any programming language targeting it to extend a Wasm-hosting application, offering more development tools than typical extension languages.
Python can now be extended with Wasm, enabling architecture-independent Wasm blobs within Python libraries without requiring a native toolchain.
Wasm is useful for speeding up Python functions, offering around a 10x speed-up for computational hotspots when re-implemented in C and run as Wasm.
The wasmtime-py package is recommended for embedding Wasm in Python, as it includes pre-built binaries and doesn't require a native toolchain, though it has a large size and frequent API changes.
Common pitfalls when working with Wasm in Python include handling pointers correctly to avoid negative indices and ensuring proper memory management.
Monocypher, a cryptography library, can be compiled to Wasm and used within Python to provide secure cryptographic operations like AEAD encryption and decryption.
Using Wasm for embedded capabilities in Python, such as cryptography, allows for secure and efficient operations without direct external access.

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