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Tag: small JavaScript files

  • How to Optimize WebAssembly for Smaller JavaScript Files

    Hey there! If you enjoy this story, feel free to give it a like or share it with your friends. Now, let me take you on a journey through a world where I build a website, brick by brick.


    I’m standing on an empty plot of land, ready to build a stunning website. In my hands, I hold a pile of bricks, each representing a piece of JavaScript code, and my goal is to construct a solid structure that’s efficient and lean. But these bricks are special—some are bulky, some are light, and my task is to choose wisely to keep my building nimble.

    As I lay the foundation, I realize that some of these bricks are larger than necessary, taking up too much space. I remember the magic of WebAssembly, a tool that allows me to carve these bricks into smaller, more precise shapes without losing their strength. This is like chiseling away excess material to reveal a perfectly sized brick underneath. With each chisel, the file sizes shrink, and the structure becomes more elegant.

    I work meticulously, focusing on the essential bricks—the core functionalities—while setting aside the ornate ones for later, perhaps as decorative features. I’m conscious of the weight each brick adds to the foundation, so I prioritize the lightest, most efficient forms. It’s like building a minimalist yet robust house, where every brick has a purpose, and nothing is wasted.

    As the walls rise, I notice that some sections are repeated, like patterns in a mosaic. Here, I use WebAssembly’s power to streamline these repetitive elements, merging them into singular, efficient blocks. It’s akin to using prefabricated pieces that fit perfectly into place, reducing both size and complexity.

    Finally, I step back to admire my creation—a sleek, optimized website standing proudly on its efficient foundation. By carefully crafting each brick with WebAssembly, I’ve ensured that my website loads quickly and runs smoothly, all while maintaining its structural integrity.

    And there it is, my website built brick by brick, optimized for performance and elegance. If you found this story enlightening, don’t hesitate to share it with others who might be building their own digital masterpieces!


    To start, I scrutinize my JavaScript code for any oversized functions or unused variables, much like spotting bulky bricks that can be slimmed down. I replace verbose functions with more concise arrow functions. For instance, I transform:

    function add(a, b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    into a sleek arrow function:

    const add = (a, b) => a + b;

    Next, I turn my attention to modules, which can be like hidden rooms within my website. By using ES6 modules, I ensure that only the necessary code is imported, reducing the overall size of my application. Instead of importing everything, I cherry-pick what’s needed:

    // Instead of importing the entire utils.js
    import { add } from './utils.js';

    I also leverage tree-shaking, a technique that eliminates unused code, akin to removing unused bricks. By using a module bundler like Webpack, I enable tree-shaking, ensuring that my final build contains only the essential parts.

    Moreover, I consider using WebAssembly for performance-critical sections, converting parts of my JavaScript that require heavy computation into WebAssembly modules. This is like reinforcing certain sections of my building with steel, providing strength without adding bulk.

    // Example of calling a WebAssembly function from JavaScript
    const wasmModule = new WebAssembly.Module(buffer);
    const wasmInstance = new WebAssembly.Instance(wasmModule, {});
    console.log(wasmInstance.exports.add(5, 10));

    Key Takeaways:

    1. Streamline Code: Use modern JavaScript features like arrow functions and ES6 modules to write more efficient code.
    2. Minimize Imports: Import only what you need to keep your application lean.
    3. Use Tree-Shaking: Employ tools like Webpack to automatically remove unused code.
    4. Leverage WebAssembly: Convert performance-intensive parts of your code to WebAssembly for better efficiency.