WebAssembly for the JVM - Beyond the Browser with Chicory

Explore how WebAssembly is revolutionizing enterprise backend systems beyond browser applications in this 45-minute InfoQ conference talk by Red Hat Principal Engineer Andrea Peruffo. Discover Chicory, a pure-Java WebAssembly runtime that enables running polyglot code (C, Rust, Go, Python) directly on the JVM while maintaining security sandbox protection and observability. Learn to implement high-performance plugin systems, execute C-based parsers at JIT speed, and resolve native dependency challenges in cloud-native environments. Examine real-world case studies including accelerating JRuby with C-based parsers, running CPython in TrinoDB, implementing high-performance Go plugins in Debezium, and running SQLite on the JVM. Understand the performance advantages of AOT compilation versus interpreters, explore solutions to memory-grow bottlenecks, and gain insights into when WebAssembly is the optimal choice for your technology stack. The presentation concludes with a Q&A session covering the future of Chicory, WasmGC integration, and Quarkus compatibility, providing comprehensive guidance for leveraging WebAssembly in enterprise Java environments.

Syllabus

- Introduction: Wasm in the Enterprise
- Why Wasm isn't just for the Browser anymore
- The Power of Polyglot Interfaces on the Backend
- Introducing Chicory: Pure Java Wasm Runtime
- Why FFI and Native Libraries are a Risk
- Case Study 1: Accelerating JRuby with C-based Parsers
- Performance Gains: AOT Compilation vs. Interpreters
- Case Study 2: Running CPython in TrinoDB
- Case Study 3: High-Performance Go Plugins in Debezium
- SQLite on the JVM: Solving the Memory-Grow Bottleneck
- Conclusion: When to choose Wasm for your Stack
- Q&A: The Future of Chicory, WasmGC, and Quarkus Integration