# Clojure Takes Flight: Running on WebAssembly with GraalVM

## Clojure Takes Flight: Running on WebAssembly with GraalVM

The world of WebAssembly (WASM) continues to expand beyond its browser-based roots, attracting interest from developers seeking portable, efficient execution environments. Roman Liutikov’s recent blog post, “Running Clojure in WASM with GraalVM,” explores an exciting frontier: bringing the dynamic, functional Clojure language to WASM using the powerful GraalVM.

Liutikov’s work builds upon the capabilities of GraalVM, a high-performance, polyglot virtual machine that allows developers to run applications written in multiple languages efficiently. GraalVM’s Native Image feature, in particular, allows ahead-of-time compilation of code to a standalone executable. This executable can then be targeted for various platforms, including WASM.

The core idea is to leverage GraalVM’s ability to compile Clojure code into a native image, and then target that image specifically for the WASM architecture. This approach offers several potential benefits:

* **Portability:** WASM is designed to run on a wide range of platforms, making Clojure code compiled to WASM inherently portable. This opens doors to deploying Clojure applications in environments where a full JVM might not be feasible, such as embedded systems, edge devices, or even directly within web browsers.
* **Performance:** GraalVM’s Native Image compilation process can result in significantly faster startup times compared to running Clojure on the traditional JVM. This is a major advantage in scenarios where quick responsiveness is crucial. While WASM performance is still evolving, it provides a more efficient alternative to interpreted JavaScript for complex computations in the browser.
* **Ecosystem Extension:** By enabling Clojure to run within WASM environments, this approach extends the reach of the Clojure ecosystem. It allows developers to leverage their existing Clojure skills and codebases in new and exciting contexts.

While the process isn’t without its complexities (the blog post likely dives into the configuration and build steps required to achieve this), the potential rewards are significant. Compiling Clojure to WASM with GraalVM could unlock new avenues for application development, combining the expressiveness and power of Clojure with the portability and performance benefits of WebAssembly.

Liutikov’s work represents a significant step forward in exploring the possibilities of polyglot development and the expanding role of WASM in modern computing. It’s a fascinating development for both Clojure and GraalVM enthusiasts, and a testament to the growing maturity of the WebAssembly ecosystem. Developers interested in exploring this frontier should definitely check out the original article for detailed instructions and insights.