[AssemblyScript] gl-matrix port to WebAssembly

[StEvUgnIn]

Hi everyone,
I am working since yesterday on the port of gl-matrix to WebAssembly.

Define objectives are:

• compatibility with TypeScript preserved (using std/assemblyscript/portable definitions)
• minimal changes from the original code
• encapsulation and compatibility with projects using the JavaScript implementation

I will publish as soon as I have a solid draft to present :) But the code of gl-matrix is concise, not too shaby for JavaScript code, easily portable to TS/AS environments.

[StEvUgnIn]

Don't hesitate to share your feedback on my ongoing work here

[stefnotch]

Out of curiosity, how will garbage collection be handled?

[StEvUgnIn]

Garbage collection makes more sense in bigger projects. Memory is handled manually on Webassembly by the programmer. You have a ton of projects porting C/C++, JavaScript, Rust to Webassembly.

Webassembly is designed to work alongside JavaScript. That means that the binary needs glue code to be able to run in an application (client or server).

After research, the AssemblyScript team is bringing some experimental support for GC. Here is a link https://www.assemblyscript.org/runtime.html

[trusktr]

AssemblyScript has automatic GC currently.

• if an AssemblyScript Wasm module is no longer referenced by JS, the it is collected (this is regular stuff, not assemblyscript-specific).
• If an AssemblyScript Wasm module is still held by JS, then every time JS invokes the module, AssemblyScript does it's own GC (custom implementation, not the upcoming Wasm GC) on each call. The developer, by default, does not need to worry about it.

[StEvUgnIn]

Thanks for your explanation @trusktr 🙂

[StEvUgnIn]

https://travis-ci.org/github/toji/gl-matrix/builds/764734352 😎

[StEvUgnIn]

@stefnotch @trusktr @pyrotechnick @alexmax
#421 (review)