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Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:15:48 +0200
Message-ID: <CAGnYymDigWop7+XOAv_HtsYtW4oPE=QuHtehafrgLSOz73VuDg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Zephir, and other tangents
To: Hammed Ajao <hamiegold@gmail.com>
Cc: Mike Schinkel <mike@newclarity.net>, PHP internals <internals@lists.php.net>
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From: adam.zielinski@automattic.com (Adam Zielinski)

On Wed, Sep 18, 2024 at 2:39=E2=80=AFAM Hammed Ajao <hamiegold@gmail.com> w=
rote:

> Running Wasm and PHP virtual machines together presents several significa=
nt challenges and potential issues:
> =E2=80=A2 Memory Management and Isolation: Each VM has its own memory mod=
el and garbage collection strategy. Data passing between VMs often requires=
 expensive memory copying. Coordinating garbage collection can lead to memo=
ry leaks or crashes if not handled properly.
> =E2=80=A2 Performance Impacts: Context switching between VMs introduces o=
verhead, especially with frequent interactions. Interoperability can create=
 latency due to data serialization and deserialization. Synchronization iss=
ues may arise when one VM needs to wait for the other.
> =E2=80=A2 Security Concerns: Discrepancies between PHP's more permissive =
environment and Wasm's stricter sandboxing can create vulnerabilities. The =
communication layer between VMs could be exploited for cross-VM attacks if =
not properly secured.
> =E2=80=A2 Debugging Complexities: Developers must use separate debugging =
tools for each VM. Stack traces spanning two execution contexts can be conf=
using and hard to interpret.
> =E2=80=A2 Compatibility and Maintenance: Independent evolution of PHP and=
 Wasm VMs may introduce breaking changes, requiring constant updates to the=
 integration layer. API changes in either environment necessitate adjustmen=
ts in the integration code.
> =E2=80=A2 Resource Consumption: Running two VMs simultaneously increases =
CPU and memory usage. Longer initialization times may impact applications r=
equiring quick boot times.
> =E2=80=A2 API and Communication Design: Designing efficient and secure AP=
Is for inter-VM communication is critical but challenging. Marshaling data =
between PHP and Wasm adds complexity, especially when different programming=
 languages are involved.
>

While these are definitely challenges, aren't they largely the same
for most languages intending to support WebAssembly?

=E2=80=93 Adam