Ethereum is often credited as the driving force behind the b3 revolution. It introduced smart contracts, and the world of blockchain was revolutionized. However, some members of the WeB3 communities, such as Astar Network’s Sota Watanabe, argue that if the protocol cannot be implemented, then the innovative future of blockchain cannot be built. Other critics point out that language barriers are what they consider to be the main problem. Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) is a programming language specifically designed for EVM, and is an area that is seen as less than ideal for development.
Will Webassembly Smart Contracts “Attract a Lot of Talent from Web2 to Web3”?
This, along with other limitations caused by EVM, lead to the creation of an alternative called Webassembly (WASM). This virtual machine is described as the preferred choice for developers, academics, and engineers who are frustrated by EVM. According to Watanabe, WASM supports a wide range of languages with native performance and high portability. To learn more about WASM, Bitcoin.com News contacted Sota Watanabe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Astar Network, a multi-chain smart contract platform.
In this interview, the CEO of Astar Network shared his thoughts on Webassembly and its role in accelerating Web3 adoption. Watanabe also discussed why Astar Network supports both EVM and WASM.
Below are Watanabe’s answers to our questions via Whatsapp.
Bitcoin.com News (BCN): Could you explain in simple terms what WASM is to our readers?
Sota Watanabe (SW): Webassembly (WASM) is a portable compilation target for programming languages. WASM supports a wide range of languages with native performance and high portability. At Astar, we support a WASM smart contract environment similar to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). What is great about WASM is that web2 languages can be composed in Webassembly, unlike for Ethereum’s EVM which is a programming language that has been specifically designed for EVM, Solidity.
We believe that the adoption of smart contracts like WASM will be significantly accelerated if more people use them, from Web2 to Web3. Most of the tech talent is still in the Web2 space, and Web2 developers are seeking to enter Web3 but cannot choose but to learn a new programming language called Solidity, the most popular smart contract platform (EVM) uses it. This is a problem. Imagine if they could use the languages they already know to develop Web3 dapps [decentralized applications]. And you can also easily make your dapps EVM compliant. That’s why WASM smart contracts are attractive; this talent pool can provide a wealth of opportunities to the Web3 space.
BCN: What are the limitations and problems that EVM can present? And what can WASM do to address them?
SW: Although Ethereum was the driving force behind the b3 revolution, it cannot create the future of innovation in blockchain by itself, just like smart contracts. With EVM being a blockchain-specific programming language, it requires less support and uses specialized languages. Solidity.
Today, Web3 can be prohibitively expensive for many Web2 developers, as web2 languages cannot be composed in Solidity, the Ethereum programming language. With Webassembly (WASM), developers can quickly transition from one to the other. This provides a toll-free path from Web2 to Web3 infrastructure, allowing them to spend more time building core features in their dapps instead of learning specialized languages like Solidity.
WASM also increases performance as it is closer to the machine’s language. It provides web browser applications that are nearly native to the web and allows developers to create high-speed web applications in the language they choose. Additionally, WASM holds tremendous potential for the future Internet, as it is web-friendly.
BCN: Four major browser engines are already supported – Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Webkit – and WASM is more secure, efficient, faster, and more debuggable than traditional methods. Why is this so crucial?
SW: Yes, it’s true. I think WASM will help attract Web2 developers to Web3 due to its advanced features, such as its portability, scalability, and performance. We believe that WASM will be a critical component in the development of the future of blockchain, and we are excited to see how it will evolve.
It’s okay. Everything he said that WASM can help build trust with his coworkers, Web2 developers. If Web3 applications are equipped with WASM tools, they will be more likely to adopt Web3. In addition, WASM development can be supported by top-tier companies such as Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, and can be used with popular programming languages such as C/C++, GO, TypeScript, and RUST, which are common among Web2 developers.
BCN: Some reports claim that Web2 developers will be attracted to Web3 due to WASM. What do you think about that?
SW: Yes, I think that’s true. Web2 developers will be attracted to Web3 due to WASM’s advanced features, such as its portability, scalability, and performance. We believe that WASM will be a critical component in the development of the future of blockchain, and we are excited to see how it will evolve.
Astar Network recently conducted an interview with Sota Watanabe, the CEO of a blockchain company, to discuss the potential of Webassembly (WASM) and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) smart contracts. Watanabe believes that WASM and EVM smart contracts will attract a lot of talent from Web2 to Web3, due to their flexibility and the ability to run both smart contracts simultaneously in a secure and interoperable manner.
The interview also discussed the advantages of using XCM (Cross Consensus Messaging) and XVM (Cross Virtual Machines) for developers. Watanabe believes that these two innovations will be the start of a new wave of innovation in the dapps space, and that the blockchain ecosystem will be able to expand significantly.
Finally, Watanabe concluded that developers should have the freedom to choose the best smart contract platform for their project, and that supporting both EVM and WASM will provide them with the necessary tools to build on Web3.
So, does this suggestion prove to be correct? Only time will tell.
