Should I target Core WASM or WASM Components?

[manic raven]

I am making a compiler for GDScript (used in Godot) and I am thinking of targeting WASM Components, because then It's easier to use other languages like rust (but not c++?) with it.

(I am going to be using wasmtime)

[outer lily]

It might help to know a little more about what you're planning to make. Is it just for yourself or for other people too? And what sort of API(s) between GDScript and WebAssembly would you like to be able to make?

[spiral spruce]

the latest estimate from people working on components in the Bytecode Alliance is that they will not have a 1.0 proposal ready until 2026, and that is typically optimistic.

we evaluate this all the time “when to bring components into Extism”, and there’s still a ton of uncertainty around the technology and its adoption.

you can always bet on Core Wasm, which is actually a standard and proven technology.

I don’t think the component model is going to make it, but if you’re only going to make something that’s for you, use what’s easiest to just make progress.

if you’re going to make something you’d expect to land in Godot and other people use, I wouldn’t touch the component model until they’ve crossed their 1.0 as it will be a mess for years to support a moving target.

[manic raven]

It's for other people.
I am not sure how the API would look like. The main thing is that there are a lot of them to add, which might be a problem, and to minimize how much I have to add having something implemented in WASM, should be better.

I don't really want to add an API for String since it will be slower, it would be better If I could implement them in WASM

[manic raven]

I don't expect for it to land in Godot, because it's written in rust, which means that most maintainers can't review it.

I was considering components because they add extra types like, u32, bool, list. Which I would have to implement myself.

Maybe I can implement these things in rust, compile to WASM, and include from other modules.

[outer lily]

You could always use component model tooling to prototype, but when you run into rough edges or you want something more stable then I'd agree with the advice to adopt core WASM.