I think we're far past the point where Javascript is only used for UI. With node being used in back-end systems for a lot of apps and Electron apps running with node to interface with the host system and doing heavy work off the UI thread, Javascript is already doing a lot more than just UI.
Hopefully though, PWAs should be able to leverage Web Assembly, making it possible to write apps using other programming languages and with much better performance than what we're seeing with Javascript today.
If I understand you correctly, you're wondering why wasm is controlled by the front-end Javascript (UI).
I'm not an expert in how wasm is implemented, but from what I've seen and read, the flow of control can go both ways: Javascript can make calls to the wasm component and have code executed (and return a result).
But it's also possible for wasm code to manipulate the web page directly. I've seen a demo of (a slimmed down version of) .NET running in a browser, running a complete Todo app, all written in C#. No Javascript needed.
I think we're far past the point where Javascript is only used for UI. With node being used in back-end systems for a lot of apps and Electron apps running with node to interface with the host system and doing heavy work off the UI thread, Javascript is already doing a lot more than just UI.
Hopefully though, PWAs should be able to leverage Web Assembly, making it possible to write apps using other programming languages and with much better performance than what we're seeing with Javascript today.
I know we are past that point, but this is not a good thing. Also, why should the UI have the rest (wasm) as a component and not the other/way round?
If I understand you correctly, you're wondering why wasm is controlled by the front-end Javascript (UI).
I'm not an expert in how wasm is implemented, but from what I've seen and read, the flow of control can go both ways: Javascript can make calls to the wasm component and have code executed (and return a result).
But it's also possible for wasm code to manipulate the web page directly. I've seen a demo of (a slimmed down version of) .NET running in a browser, running a complete Todo app, all written in C#. No Javascript needed.
@supermanitu , why do you say "this is not a good thing" for JS to be used for more than just UI ?
Javascript is a full fledge programming language as capable as others. Why couldn't it build an app ?