Hack vs WebAssembly: What are the differences?

Introduction: When comparing Hack and WebAssembly, there are several key differences to consider. These differences impact the use cases, performance, and compatibility of each technology.

1. Language Compatibility: Hack is a programming language created by Facebook, tailored for PHP developers, while WebAssembly is designed to be compatible with a variety of languages, including C, C++, and Rust. This difference in language compatibility influences the developer base and the types of projects that can be implemented using each technology.

2. Execution Environment: Hack code runs on the HHVM (HipHop Virtual Machine), which is a virtual machine designed specifically for Hack, while WebAssembly is designed to run on web browsers directly. This difference in execution environment affects how the code is executed and the performance of the applications built with each technology.

3. Compilation Process: Hack code is typically compiled into PHP code, which is then processed by the HHVM, while WebAssembly code is compiled into a binary format that can be executed directly by web browsers. This difference in the compilation process impacts the deployment and performance of applications built with each technology.

4. Performance: Hack is known for its performance optimizations and type system, tailored for large-scale PHP applications, whereas WebAssembly is designed for high performance and portability across different platforms and architectures. This difference in performance priorities affects the types of applications that are best suited for each technology.

5. Community and Support: Hack has a strong community of PHP developers and Facebook support behind it, while WebAssembly has a growing community of developers and support from major browser vendors like Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Apple. The difference in community and support influences the resources available for developers using each technology.

6. Ease of Integration: Hack is seamlessly integrated with PHP and can be used within existing PHP codebases, while WebAssembly requires additional tools and knowledge to integrate it with existing web applications. This difference in ease of integration impacts the adoption of each technology by developers and organizations.

In Summary, Hack and WebAssembly differ in language compatibility, execution environment, compilation process, performance focus, community and support, and ease of integration, which in turn affects their usability and adoption in different scenarios.