diff --git a/posts/2024-09-05-wasip2-tier-2.md b/posts/2024-09-05-wasip2-tier-2.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..86842daa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/2024-09-05-wasip2-tier-2.md @@ -0,0 +1,84 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: "The wasm32-wasip2 Target Has Reached Tier 2 Support" +author: Yosh Wuyts +--- + +In April of this year we posted an update about [Rust's WASI +targets](https://blog.rust-lang.org/2024/04/09/updates-to-rusts-wasi-targets.html) +to the main Rust blog. In it we covered the rename of the `wasm32-wasi` target +to `wasm32-wasip1`, and the introduction of the new `wasm32-wasip2` target as a +"tier 3" target. This meant that while the target was available as part of +`rustc`, it was not guaranteed to build. We're pleased to announce +that this is changing. + +For those unfamiliar with WebAssembly (Wasm) components and WASI 0.2, here is a +quick, simplified primer: + +- **Core Wasm** is a (virtual) instruction format for programs to be compiled into (think: x86-64). +- **Wasm components** are a container format and type system that wrap Core Wasm instructions into typed, hermetic binaries and libraries (think: ELF). +- **WASI** is a reserved namespace for a collection of standardized Wasm component interfaces (think: POSIX header files). + +For a more detailed explanation see the [WASI 0.2 announcement +post](https://bytecodealliance.org/articles/WASI-0.2) on the Bytecode Alliance +blog. + +## What's new? + +Starting Rust 1.81 (2024-09-05) the `wasm32-wasip2` (WASI 0.2) target will be +made available as a tier-2 target. Among other things this now means it is +guaranteed to build, and will become available to install as a prebuilt target +via Rustup using the following command: + +```bash +rustup target add wasm32-wasip2 +``` + +Up until now Rust users writing [Wasm +Components](https://component-model.bytecodealliance.org) would use tools (like +[cargo-component]) which target the WASI 0.1 target (`wasm32-wasip1`) which +would be packaged into a WASI 0.2 Component by a post-processing step invoked +separately by the tooling. With the introduction of `wasm32-wasip2` as a tier-2 +target, that tooling can instead directly target WASI 0.2 without the need for +additional tooling or compat shims. + +What this also means is that ecosystem crates can begin targeting WASI 0.2 +directly for platform-specific code. WASI 0.1 did not have support for sockets. +Now that we have a stable tier 2 platform available, crate authors should be +able to finally start writing WASI-compatible network code. To target WASI 0.2 +from Rust, authors can use the following `cfg` attribute: + +[cargo-component]: https://github.com/bytecodealliance/cargo-component + +```rust +#[cfg(all(target_os = "wasi", target_env = "p2"))] +mod wasip2 { + // items go here +} +``` + +## What's next? + +The WASI 0.2 Rust target being on tier 2 means it's supported and stable. But +unfortunately it is also still incomplete. Most notably stdlib support is still +limited. To target platform-native functionality we recommend to either use the +[wasi](https://docs.rs/wasi/latest/wasi/) crate directly, which is the WASI +equivalent to the `libc` crate. Or else generate their own bindings to the [WASI +specifications](https://github.com/WebAssembly/WASI/tree/main/wasip2) using the +[wit-bindgen](https://github.com/bytecodealliance/wit-bindgen/) generator. + +We expect to gradually extend the Rust stdlib with support for WASI 0.2 APIs +throughout the remainder of this year into the next. That work has already +started, with for example +[rust-lang/rust#129638](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/129638) adding +native support for `std::net` to WASI 0.2. We expect more of these PRs to land +through the remainder of the year. + +## Conclusion + +The `wasm32-wasip2` target will become installable via rustup starting Rust +1.81.0 (2024-09-05). This will make it possible for the Rust compiler to +directly compile to the Wasm Components format, targeting the WASI 0.2 +interfaces. We're excited for Wasm Components and WASI 0.2 to have reached this +milestone, and are excited to see what folks in the ecosystem will be building +with it!