JavaScript vs. PureScript vs. Racket vs. WebAssembly Comparison Chart

PureScript is a strongly typed, purely functional programming language that compiles JavaScript. It enables developers to build robust web applications, web servers, and mobile apps using functional programming techniques. PureScript offers features such as algebraic data types, pattern matching, row polymorphism, extensible records, higher-kinded types, type classes with functional dependencies, and higher-rank polymorphism. The language emphasizes strong static typing and pure functions, ensuring code reliability and maintainability. Developers can compile PureScript code into readable JavaScript, facilitating seamless integration with existing JavaScript codebases. The ecosystem includes an extensive collection of libraries, excellent tooling, and editor support with instant rebuilds. An active community provides numerous learning resources, including the PureScript book, which offers practical projects for beginners.

WebAssembly (abbreviated Wasm) is a binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine. Wasm is designed as a portable compilation target for programming languages, enabling deployment on the web for client and server applications. The Wasm stack machine is designed to be encoded in a size- and load-time-efficient binary format. WebAssembly aims to execute at native speed by taking advantage of common hardware capabilities available on a wide range of platforms. WebAssembly describes a memory-safe, sandboxed execution environment that may even be implemented inside existing JavaScript virtual machines. When embedded in the web, WebAssembly will enforce the same-origin and permissions security policies of the browser. WebAssembly is designed to be pretty-printed in a textual format for debugging, testing, experimenting, optimizing, learning, teaching, and writing programs by hand. The textual format will be used when viewing the source of Wasm modules on the web.