Lua vs QuickJS: What are the differences?

Introduction:

In this article, we will compare and highlight the key differences between Lua and QuickJS.

1. Language Design and Purpose: Lua is a lightweight and extensible scripting language designed for embedding into applications. It focuses on simplicity, portability, and ease of integration. On the other hand, QuickJS is a fast and lightweight JavaScript interpreter that aims to be compatible with the ECMAScript 2020 specification.

2. Syntax: Lua uses a simple and minimalistic syntax with a consistent use of tables for data representation. It uses "end" to close blocks and does not require semicolons at the end of the statement. In contrast, QuickJS follows the syntax of JavaScript, which can be more complex with a variety of language constructs and punctuation marks.

3. Memory Management: Lua uses automatic garbage collection to manage memory, which simplifies memory allocation and deallocation for the programmer. QuickJS, on the other hand, uses a garbage collector that combines reference counting with cycle detection, which can be more efficient for managing memory but may require a bit more complex memory management from the developer's perspective.

4. Standard Libraries: Lua comes with a minimal set of standard libraries that cover basic data structures, file I/O, and some utilities. It includes a small and efficient implementation that is easily extensible. QuickJS, on the other hand, provides a more extensive set of standard libraries that comply with the ECMAScript specification, offering a wide array of utility functions and data structures built-in.

5. Embeddability: Lua is known for its easy embeddability, with a simple C API that allows developers to integrate Lua into their applications seamlessly. It provides a lightweight interpreter that is portable and efficient in resource consumption. QuickJS also offers embeddability, with a C API that supports embedding the interpreter into other applications, making it easy to use JavaScript as a scripting language in various projects.

6. Community and Ecosystem: Lua has been around for a long time and has a vibrant community with a wealth of libraries and resources available. It is widely used in game development, embedded systems, and other domains. QuickJS is a more recent project with a smaller community and ecosystem compared to Lua, but it benefits from compatibility with the large JavaScript ecosystem, including popular frameworks and libraries.

In summary, Lua and QuickJS differ in their language design and purpose, syntax, memory management, standard libraries, embeddability, and community/ecosystem. Lua focuses on simplicity, embedding, and minimalism, while QuickJS aims to provide a lightweight and efficient JavaScript interpreter that is compatible with the ECMAScript specification.