WebAssembly.Global

A WebAssembly.Global object represents a global variable instance, accessible from both JavaScript and importable/exportable across one or more WebAssembly.Module instances. This allows dynamic linking of multiple modules.

Constructor

WebAssembly.Global()
Creates a new Global object.

Global instances

All Global instances inherit from the Global() constructor's prototype object — this can be modified to affect all Global instances.

Instance properties

Global.prototype.constructor
Returns the function that created this object's instance. By default this is the WebAssembly.Global() constructor.
Global.prototype[@@toStringTag]
The initial value of the @@toStringTag property is the String value "WebAssembly.Global".
Global.prototype.value
The value contained inside the global variable — this can be used to directly set and get the global's value.

Instance methods

Global.prototype.valueOf()
Old-style method that returns the value contained inside the global variable.

Examples

Creating a new Global instance

The following example shows a new global instance being created using the WebAssembly.Global() constructor. It is being defined as a mutable i32 type, with a value of 0.

The value of the global is then changed, first to 42 using the Global.value property, and then to 43 using the incGlobal() function exported out of the global.wasm module (this adds 1 to whatever value is given to it and then returns the new value).

const output = document.getElementById('output');

function assertEq(msg, got, expected) {
    output.innerHTML += `Testing ${msg}: `;
    if (got !== expected)
        output.innerHTML += `FAIL!<br>Got: ${got}<br>Expected: ${expected}<br>`;
    else
        output.innerHTML += `SUCCESS! Got: ${got}<br>`;
}

assertEq("WebAssembly.Global exists", typeof WebAssembly.Global, "function");

const global = new WebAssembly.Global({value:'i32', mutable:true}, 0);

WebAssembly.instantiateStreaming(fetch('global.wasm'), { js: { global } })
.then(({instance}) => {
    assertEq("getting initial value from wasm", instance.exports.getGlobal(), 0);
    global.value = 42;
    assertEq("getting JS-updated value from wasm", instance.exports.getGlobal(), 42);
    instance.exports.incGlobal();
    assertEq("getting wasm-updated value from JS", global.value, 43);
});

Note: You can see the example running live on GitHub; see also the source code.

Specifications

Specification
WebAssembly JavaScript Interface
The definition of 'WebAssembly.Global()' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobileServer
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung InternetNode.js
GlobalChrome Full support 69Edge No support NoFirefox Full support 62IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android Full support 69Chrome Android Full support 69Firefox Android Full support 62Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0nodejs No support No
Global() constructorChrome Full support 69Edge No support NoFirefox Full support 62IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android Full support 69Chrome Android Full support 69Firefox Android Full support 62Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0nodejs No support No
valueChrome Full support 69Edge No support NoFirefox Full support 62IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android Full support 69Chrome Android Full support 69Firefox Android Full support 62Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0nodejs No support No
valueOfChrome Full support 69Edge No support NoFirefox Full support 62IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android Full support 69Chrome Android Full support 69Firefox Android Full support 62Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 10.0nodejs No support No

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support

See also