# Bringing Javascript to WebAssembly for Shopify Functions

DevFeed: [Bringing Javascript to WebAssembly for Shopify Functions](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/bringing-javascript-to-webassembly-for-shopify-functions-1460.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://shopify.engineering/javascript-in-webassembly-for-shopify-functions>)

Author: Surma

Published: 2023-02-09T14:00:02Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering.md>), [Shopify Engineering - Shopify Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/shopify-engineering-shopify-engineering.md>)

Topics: [Shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shopify.md>), [WebAssembly](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web-assembly.md>), [JavaScript](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/javascript.md>), [backends](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/backends.md>), [Front end](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/frontend.md>), [Terraform](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/terraform.md>)

Tags: [customization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/customization.md>), [javascript](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/javascript.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [personalization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/personalization.md>), [remix](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remix.md>), [rust](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rust.md>), [scalability](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scalability.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [shopify](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/shopify.md>), [wasm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/wasm.md>), [webassembly](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/webassembly.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains Shopify's Local Developer Preview for writing Shopify Functions in JavaScript and running them locally before deployment is available. It describes how JavaScript was brought to WebAssembly under the tight constraints of Shopify Functions, and presents WebAssembly as the foundation for secure, flexible, and performant execution of custom code. The article also situates Shopify Functions as the back-end component of Shopify's broader customization model, alongside front-end and database customization.

## Source excerpt

While we're working on getting our Shopify Functions infrastructure ready for the public beta, we thought we'd use this opportunity to shine some light on how we brought JavaScript to WebAssembly, how we made everything fit within our very tight Shopify Function constraints, and what our plans for the future look like.