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by avallach 1217 days ago
Does "WebContainer API" mean "proprietary web service for accessing npm and git over http"? Or is it "ECMAScript API of new open source WASM-based POSIX-style browser OS"?

The documentation doesn't seem to separate these two, and applying such name for the former would seem intentionally misleading to me, especially if it gets trademarked by commercial entity providing the service.
1 comments
ericmsimons 1216 days ago
> is it "ECMAScript API of new open source WASM-based POSIX-style browser OS"

This is closer to what the Bytecode Alliance is looking to do with WASI, which we're playing a small (but crucial) part in: https://blog.stackblitz.com/posts/bytecode-alliance/

> Does "WebContainer API" mean "proprietary web service for accessing npm and git over http"?

Kinda, we have plans to allow self hosting and more reg open source- more to come!

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avallach 1214 days ago
It's very reassuring to see that this is going to be open standard with working group behind it!

I was a bit confused when writing my previous comment. I kind of meant client-side vs server-side part, but I see it may be (or should be) both. I'm impressed you answered in person, please let me elaborate.

webcontainers.io/api describes client-side ECMAScript interface (e.g. `WebContainer.boot().spawn('ls', ['src', '-l'])`). The "StackBlitz WebContainers client" is not the only existing in-browser implementation capable of providing such interface. For example, there is "WebVM" from Leaning Technologies, that "runs unmodified Debian binaries in the browser" using "x86-to-WebAssembly JIT compiler" and "Linux syscall emulator". It can run everything from WebContainers examples, like `ls src -l` or `npm run dev`. One could easily make adapter that uses WebVM to implement WebContainer API. This is what I thought "WebContainers API" should encompass.

But as I learned today, WebVM just like WebContainer also requires a web service (Tailscale) for proxying network traffic. Even JSLinux (bellard.org) uses proxy server. That's necessary because there is no "WebNetworking API" exposing local native networking trough the browser. Usage of such service is implementation detail, but including it in the "WebContainers API" standard is right now the only way to make provider-agnostic clients and I did not consider that before. It may become redundant one day if we get "WebNetworking API" for the browser but there's no such ongoing initiative.

Did I get that right now?

Is StackBlitz WebContainers web service going to proxy arbitrary network traffic, or is it about git, package management and other dev-specific protocols?

Is "WebContainers server API" going to also reflect client API methods to give optional support for thin clients and hybrids? (running all or selected commands in remote container rather than only proxying the network)

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