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https://github.com/emnudge/watlings
Learn WebAssembly by writing small programs!
https://github.com/emnudge/watlings
exercises guide learning wasm wast wat webassembly
Last synced: about 23 hours ago
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Learn WebAssembly by writing small programs!
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/emnudge/watlings
- Owner: EmNudge
- License: unlicense
- Created: 2023-08-10T22:45:26.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-03-18T16:32:31.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-12-17T10:53:58.310Z (5 days ago)
- Topics: exercises, guide, learning, wasm, wast, wat, webassembly
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 73.2 KB
- Stars: 1,632
- Watchers: 8
- Forks: 43
- Open Issues: 2
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Watlings
Learn the WebAssembly Text Format
by fixing a bunch of small programs!
[![Button Roadmap]][Roadmap]
![Example Exercise]
## Usage
This project uses **[Node 16+]** & **[NPM]** for compilation and testing.
Clone the repository and install dependencies with:
```sh
git clone [email protected]:EmNudge/watlings.git
cd watlings
npm install
```
Complete lessons by following the instructions in each exercise within the `exercises` directory.
Test your answer to an exercise with the `start` command:
```sh
npm start 001_hello
```
If you'd like to view the solution to an exercise, use the `show` command:
```sh
npm run show 001_hello
```
To apply it directly to the exercise, use `solve` instead of `show`:
```sh
npm run solve 001_hello
```
### Recommended Editor
We recommend using **[VSCode]** with the **[WATI]** extension.
This should provide syntax highlighting, intellisense, and other helpful features as you work through the exercises.
### Using Wat2Wasm Directly (Recommended)
To compile your WAT code, we use **[NPM WABT]**.
For syntax highlighting and up-to-date builds, you can **optionally** use the official **[WebAssembly Binary Toolkit][WABT]** which will provide you with a `wat2wasm` CLI tool. If it is found on your path as `wat2wasm`, it will be used instead.
*While it is strictly optional, it can help with debugging.*
## Motivations
I've found just diving in to be the best way to build experience with programming.
**[Rustlings]** & **[Ziglings]** have both had tremendous returns to my journeys with both languages.
WebAssembly (and by extension WAT) has a more sparse educational landscape than most and I was hoping to fill some of the gaps by building a project with the same sort of structure.
## Pedagogical Philosophy
Outlined here are some thoughts on what makes a good teaching experience.
### Typing Over Reading
The goal is to learn by doing. Comments on each file outline a task and some background. However, a lot about a language can be gleaned by its syntax alone. We should be adding **as little** explanation as possible.
Occasional gaps in knowledge can be filled by consistent exposure to the syntax within different contexts. Certain things can therefore be learned without any mention.
Introduction text is superfluous. Words add visual noise, so we should be careful with our count. Coding itself should supplement ambiguities in the text.
If you find a text confusing or too verbose, **please create a discussion post**!
### Create Struggle
Studies have shown that one cannot learn effectively without effort. This applies to practically every domain of knowledge. These projects should be educational, not easy.
This does not mean we should make the education itself elusive. We should not make learning more difficult, but instead more intentional.
When introducing a lot of new syntax, keep the problem scope small, but force the user to read a bit. If the syntax is not new, increase the problem scope. Maybe many variations of the same task.
## Credits
- [rustlings](https://github.com/rust-lang/rustlings)
- [Ziglings](https://github.com/ratfactor/ziglings)
[Example Exercise]:https://github.com/EmNudge/watlings/assets/24513691/a777c665-fd13-4422-a570-2d3669b0ee94
[NPM WABT]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/wabt
[VSCode]: https://code.visualstudio.com
[WATI]: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=NateLevin.wati
[WABT]: https://github.com/WebAssembly/wabt/releases/
[Node 16+]: https://nodejs.org/en
[NPM]: https://www.npmjs.com/
[Roadmap]: https://github.com/users/EmNudge/projects/1
[Button Roadmap]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Roadmap-19A974?style=for-the-badge&logoColor=white&logo=openstreetmap
[Rustlings]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rustlings
[ziglings]: https://github.com/ratfactor/ziglings