In the fast-changing world of web development, Matt Parizeau's recent talk at Great International Developer Summit, titled "Infinite Scaling – Computing in the Browser," is like a breath of fresh air. It not only dissects the journey of client-server architectures but also spotlights the game-changing role of WebAssembly in client-side computing.

“Server-side architecture becomes increasingly expensive and time-consuming to maintain as web applications grow in complexity and user base.”

Parizeau kicks things off by revisiting the good old client-server architecture, the workhorse behind web applications for ages. Here, the server takes on the heavy lifting—processing client requests, crunching numbers, and shooting back responses. But let's face it, as web apps balloon in complexity and attract more users, maintaining this server-centric model becomes a pricey and labor-intensive affair.

Enter AJAX and serverless architectures, the modern saviors that have eased some of these pain points. Yet, they're far from a magic bullet. While serverless tech streamlines the backend, it's not free and doesn't magically erase the lag in server-client communications.

“WebAssembly enables developers to compile code written in other languages into a format that can be executed in the browser, reducing the need for extensive rewrites in JavaScript.”

This is where Parizeau pivots to the star of the show—WebAssembly. Born from the ashes of earlier tech like asm.js and Google's Portable Native Client, WebAssembly is the brainchild of a consortium of browser bigwigs, ensuring it's here to stay. What's the big deal? WebAssembly lets you compile code from various languages into a browser-friendly format. That means you can port over your tried-and-true codebases into WebAssembly modules without the headache of rewriting everything in JavaScript.

“By offloading computational tasks from the server to the client, applications can achieve better performance and responsiveness, thereby reducing costs.”

But the real kicker is what Parizeau calls "infinite scaling." By shifting computational tasks from server to client, WebAssembly amps up app performance and responsiveness while trimming down architectural complexity and costs. He cites LibreOffice as a case study—a platform that leverages around 90MB of WebAssembly modules to deliver a robust client-side user experience. However, he's quick to add a note of caution: the sheer size of WebAssembly modules could be a stumbling block for those on sluggish connections or dated devices.

“While WebAssembly offers numerous benefits, it's not without challenges. Developers need to consider the computing power of the client devices and the potential impact on battery life.”

Of course, WebAssembly isn't a silver bullet. Developers, you'll need to weigh the computing muscle of client devices and the potential battery drain. And yes, those initial WebAssembly module downloads can be hefty, but hey, there are workarounds like preloading.

So, you're sold on WebAssembly and want to give it a whirl? Parizeau's advice is simple: start by pinpointing those server-side tasks ripe for a client-side makeover. With tools like Emscripten at your disposal, transitioning to WebAssembly is less of a leap and more of a calculated step.

In wrapping up, Parizeau's talk is a must-watch for anyone on the hunt for ways to supercharge their web apps. By tapping into WebAssembly's client-side computing prowess, developers are poised to build faster, more cost-efficient, and infinitely scalable applications. It's not just a trend; it's the future of web development.

Watch the full video of the talk, here.

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Banner Image Credits: Matt Parizeau at Great International Developer Summit