4 ms·

What are the use cases of unikernels and WASM?

quickthrower2 3y ago
Probably to expand where you WASM can go: in the browser, in a docker container, and now in a lightweight OS that could go on an embedded device.
- pjmlp 3y ago
  One day it can even run on SIM cards and Visa/Mastercard chips!
  - rcarmo 3y ago
    I see what you did there...
    - pjmlp 3y ago
      Yep. :)
- H8crilA 3y ago
  All the different ways to reinvent the JVM.
  - quickthrower2 3y ago
    True but can’t Web Assembly also be non-GC’d?
    - pjmlp 3y ago
      Only because they are already five years late adding GC support, and even then WASM isn't the first bytecode format supporting C and C++, there are already a couple since 1980's.
      - csjh 3y ago
        But it's an opt-in GC? It's not accidental by any means
shakow 3y ago
This is what the first section of the article is about.
- fulafel 3y ago
  It talks about learning and fun, but there's always a remote chance that someone could have an idea for a practical application.
dathinab 3y ago
as micro vms can for some (not all) tasks compete with Linux containers but have the benefit of not exposing you Linux kernel to less trusted code hence why e.g. some cloude on the edge provider convert you docket image to a micro vm when running it so maybe some use can be found there through wasm in micro vm in the edge probably will have a hard time competing with wasm as a sandbox on the edge as such provider probably have an Easter time to add useful boundary features/integrations
cmrdporcupine 3y ago
Won't speak to WASM, or I'll go all "get off my lawn." But to me the value-sell of unikernels is: 1) Perf; squeak out some extra cycles by throwing overboard things you don't need and pulling things into "ring 0" that you do 2) Simplify; Potentially reduce complexity by ditching some of the things you don't need and 3) Security; Potentially change attack surface ... again, by.... To be clear: I don't think this is right for writing microservices and webapps like most of the people on this forum are employed doing... I think the use case is more for people building infrastructure (databases, load balancers, etc. etc.)

Probably to expand where you WASM can go: in the browser, in a docker container, and now in a lightweight OS that could go on an embedded device.

pjmlp 3y ago
One day it can even run on SIM cards and Visa/Mastercard chips!
- rcarmo 3y ago
  I see what you did there...
  - pjmlp 3y ago
    Yep. :)
H8crilA 3y ago
All the different ways to reinvent the JVM.
- quickthrower2 3y ago
  True but can’t Web Assembly also be non-GC’d?
  - pjmlp 3y ago
    Only because they are already five years late adding GC support, and even then WASM isn't the first bytecode format supporting C and C++, there are already a couple since 1980's.
    - csjh 3y ago
      But it's an opt-in GC? It's not accidental by any means

shakow 3y ago

This is what the first section of the article is about.

fulafel 3y ago
It talks about learning and fun, but there's always a remote chance that someone could have an idea for a practical application.

dathinab 3y ago

as micro vms can for some (not all) tasks compete with Linux containers but have the benefit of not exposing you Linux kernel to less trusted code hence why e.g. some cloude on the edge provider convert you docket image to a micro vm when running it so maybe some use can be found there through wasm in micro vm in the edge probably will have a hard time competing with wasm as a sandbox on the edge as such provider probably have an Easter time to add useful boundary features/integrations

cmrdporcupine 3y ago

Won't speak to WASM, or I'll go all "get off my lawn." But to me the value-sell of unikernels is: 1) Perf; squeak out some extra cycles by throwing overboard things you don't need and pulling things into "ring 0" that you do 2) Simplify; Potentially reduce complexity by ditching some of the things you don't need and 3) Security; Potentially change attack surface ... again, by.... To be clear: I don't think this is right for writing microservices and webapps like most of the people on this forum are employed doing... I think the use case is more for people building infrastructure (databases, load balancers, etc. etc.)