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https://github.com/peterhuene/wasmbuilder.app

A website for building WebAssembly components
https://github.com/peterhuene/wasmbuilder.app

components webassembly

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A website for building WebAssembly components

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README 

        
# WebAssembly Component Builder



## Overview



This project is a simple GUI tool for building [WebAssembly components](https://github.com/WebAssembly/component-model)

from other WebAssembly components.



## Getting Started



### Prerequisites



To build this project, the following tools must be installed locally:



- [The latest stable Rust toolchain](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install)

- [Yarn](https://yarnpkg.com/getting-started/install)

- [Make](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/)



### Setup



To install the dependencies of the project, run the following command:



```sh

$ make setup

```



This will also install the `cargo component` command line tools (if not

already installed).



### Running Locally



To run the application locally, run the following command:



```sh

$ make run

```



By default, the application runs on port 3000. Open a Web browser and navigate

to `http://localhost:3000` to view the application.



## Application Details



The application is a single-page [React](https://reactjs.org/) application that

is bundled with [Parcel](https://parceljs.org/).



It uses a WebAssembly component (implemented in Rust), that is responsible for

parsing WebAssembly component files and maintaining the composition graph state.



The React application maintains the state of the user interface and ensures

that the internal graph state is kept in sync with the visual representation of

the graph.



The application's user interface was developed by someone who is not a designer

(or even possessing rudimentary front-end development skills). It is not

pretty, but it works™. Pull requests to improve the interface are most welcome!



## Using the Application



### Building Components



Currently the easiest way to build individual WebAssembly components is to use

Rust and [cargo-component](https://github.com/bytecodealliance/cargo-component).



In the future, many more programming languages will be supported and since

WebAssembly components are themselves language-agnostic, they will be able to

be used by this application.



### Adding Components



Initially the application will have no WebAssembly components in the component

library.



Click the `Add Component` button to add a new component to the library and

select the desired WebAssembly component (`.wasm`) file.



Alternatively, a WebAssembly component textual-representation file (`.wat`) can

be added to the library.



To view details about a component, click on the component in the library.



### Instantiating Components



To instantiate a component, drag the component from the library to the design

surface.



This will create an instance of the component that can be connected to other

instances in the graph.



### Anatomy of an Instance



Each instance of a component has a set of imports and exports. Exports and

imports can be connected by dragging a connection between the circles and

squares that represent them.



An example instance:



![alt text](docs/instance.png "An instance of a component")



In this example, the instance of the `middleware` component imports an instance

named `backend` and exports five types and a function named `execute`.



The circle `I` in the upper right corner represents the instance itself and can

be used to connect with an import on another instance that takes a matching

instance import.



Finally, the checkbox in the upper left corner can be used to export the

instance (see below).



### Connecting Instances



To connect two instances, drag a connection from the circle of an export on one

instance to the square of a matching import on another instance.



The names do not need to match, but the types of the items must be compatible

with one another.



Connecting an instance forms a dependency relationship between the two

instances: the exporting instance is guaranteed to be instantiated before the

importing instance.



An example connection:



![alt text](docs/connected.png "A connection between instances")



In this example, an instance of the `service` component is connected to the

`backend` import of an instance of the `middleware` component.



When a component is created for this graph, the `service` instance will be

instantiated before the `middleware` instance, which will receive the `service`

instance for the `backend` instantiation argument.



### Exporting an Instance



Currently a single instance in the graph may be designated as the instance to

export.



All exports on that designated instance will be directly exported from the

resulting component.



To designate an instance to export, click the checkbox in the upper left corner

of the instance.



If no instance is checked, the resulting component will not have any exports.



### Downloading the Component



To download the component that represents the current state of the graph, click

the `Download Component` button.



Give the component a name and click the `Download` button; the new component `.wasm`

file will be downloaded by your browser.



If the `define component dependencies` checkbox remains checked, any components

referenced in the graph will be embedded in the resulting component; uncheck

the checkbox to import the components instead (note: [Wasmtime](https://wasmtime.dev)

does not support importing components currently).



By default, the resulting component will also be added to the component library

of the application and can be dragged from the library to the design surface to

create a new instance.