WASM replaces a language specific vm (javascript) with a general purpose one anywhere javascript vms are currently used. But not exclusively just there. General

WASM replaces a language specific vm (javascript) with a general purpose one anywhere javascript vms are currently used. But not exclusively just there. General purpose here means it can run just about anything with a compiler or interpreter for it. Including javascript. So anything, anywhere. Since it is generally implemented as part of the javascript engine, it inherits a lot of stuff that comes with it like sandboxing and access to the APIs that come with it. Standardizing access to that is a bit of an ongoing process but the end state here is that anything that currently can only be done in Javascript will also be possible in WASM. And a lot more that is currently hard or impossible in Javascript. And it all might run a little faster/smoother. That makes WASM many things. But the main thing it does is remove a lot of restrictions we've had on environments where Javascript is currently popular. Javascript is a bit of a divisive language. Some people love it, some people hate it. It goes from being the only game in town to being one of many things you can pick to do a thing. It's been styled as a Javascript replacement, as a docker replacement, as a Java replacement, a CGI replacement (this article), etc. The short version of it is that it is all of these things. And more.