WebAssembly Unleashed

WebAssembly Unleashed goes hands-on with a topic that shows up every time polished architectures collide with real production: programmability. Coming to you from F5's AppWorld 2026, hosts Joel Moses and Oscar Spencer are joined by WorldTech IT's Austin Geraci and Josh Brooks to talk about what actually happens when customers need traffic behavior that “shouldn’t exist,” but still has to work reliably at scale.

The conversation moves from the reality of messy APIs and legacy constraints to the practical value of a programmable data plane. Austin and Josh share examples ranging from deterministic routing based on fields buried inside JSON payloads to deeply unglamorous but essential protocol surgery, including binary-level LDAP manipulation and SAML/OAuth edge cases that break whenever an upstream system refuses to behave. The common thread is clear: when the app team can’t change the app, the network and security layers become the integration surface.

They also dig into why language choice still matters, even in the age of AI-assisted coding. Tooling ecosystems, native support for things like JSON parsing, and access to third-party libraries can turn “weeks of custom glue” into something maintainable. That’s where WebAssembly enters the picture: portable components and familiar languages that can run close to the traffic without forcing teams into legacy scripting or vendor-specific dialects.

If you’re building AI-enabled applications, modernizing older systems, or trying to keep pace with constantly changing APIs, this episode makes the case that programmable middleware isn’t optional. It’s how you avoid waiting on feature releases, adapt safely, and turn a good fit into a production-ready one.

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
Oscar Spencer
Principal Engineer with F5, Co-author of the Grain programming language, and TSC Director for the Bytecode Alliance, Oscar is passionate about advancing the future of WebAssembly.
Guest
Austin Geraci
CEO / CTO and World Tech IT
Guest
Josh Brooks
Chief Solutions Architect at WorldTech IT
Producer
Tabitha R.R. Powell

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.