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WebAssembly Unleashed is back with a conversation that goes beyond hype and into what’s actually holding Wasm back from broader adoption. Hosts Joel Moses and Oscar Spencer are joined by Ryan Hunt, Senior Software Engineer at Mozilla and lead of the WebAssembly team in Firefox’s SpiderMonkey engine, to discuss the real state of WebAssembly in 2026, what’s working, and what still needs to change.
Ryan shares a grounded view of Wasm’s growth, including surprising usage data showing it’s already present on a meaningful slice of the web, even if most users never notice it. From there, the discussion gets practical: why everyday developers still struggle to adopt Wasm, how toolchain fragmentation slows progress, and why calling web APIs from Wasm can be significantly slower than equivalent JavaScript today.
The centerpiece is the WASI component model and what it could unlock for the browser. Ryan explains how components can function like a true “binary format for the web,” enabling better linking, easier instantiation, and a more standard ABI story that upstream compilers can support directly. He also walks through Mozilla’s Firefox prototype work and performance findings, including the potential for native component support to outperform JavaScript while simplifying development.
The episode closes with what’s next: a Firefox developer preview approach, real-world testing, and community pressure that can move components from theory into practice.
Creators and Guests
Host
Joel Moses
Distinguished Engineer & VP, Strategic Engineering at F5. Joel has over 30 years of industry experience in cybersecurity and networking fields. Prior to joining F5, he designed large scale security and infrastructure architectures for consulting clients and served as the lead US Security and Infrastructure Architect for one of the largest accounting/consulting firms in the world. At F5, he is a founding member of the Office of the CTO, and is principally responsible for advanced research, intellectual property, proof-of-concepts, and strategic studies related to security, hardware, and cloud technologies. He holds several US patents related to encryption techniques.
Host
What is WebAssembly Unleashed?
Welcome to WebAssembly Unleashed, your monthly dive into the dynamic world of WebAssembly (Wasm). Join F5’s Joel Moses, Oscar Spencer, and Wasm enthusiast Matthew Yacobucci as they unpack the potential, challenges, and innovations within the Wasm ecosystem.
Designed for architects, practitioners, technologists, and Wasm enthusiasts, episodes offer:
Insightful discussions on Wasm advancements.
Practical tips for seamless integration into projects.
Interviews with influential figures shaping the Wasm landscape.
Strategies for maximizing the potential of WebAssembly.
Subscribe now and stay abreast of the latest in Wasm development. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the field, WebAssembly Unleashed is your ticket to unlocking the full power of this revolutionary technology. Tune in for a deep dive into the limitless possibilities of WebAssembly.