Compare embedded JavaScriptCore and Node.js (iojs)

comparison.md

Since an embedded JavaScriptCore can be made to launch quickly, I've been pondering whether it is justified in converting Planck to be a portable (OS X, Linux, Windows) C-based wrapper around JavaScriptCore (so that it is more broadly useful). Right now Planck is not portable owing to the use of Cocoa/Foundation and Objective-C.

I think this partially boils down to wether the launch latency is faster than an equivalent based on Node.js (which is already portable and has a much richer ecosystem). That latency has to be significantly different, and I also think you'd need to be convinced that it is going to remain that way (perhaps V8 will be further optimized, but perhaps the outright launch speed of Node.js isn't a priority).

Here is my first attempt at a comparison, based on Joel Martin's work:

$ time echo '(map inc [1 2 3])' | cljs
cljs.user=> (map inc [1 2 3])
(2 3 4)
cljs.user=> 
real	0m0.826s
user	0m0.748s
sys	0m0.093s

$ time echo '(map inc [1 2 3])' | ~/Projects/planck/build/Release/planck
(2 3 4)

real	0m0.385s
user	0m0.492s
sys	0m0.087s

Planck has the benefit that it can be shipped as a single binary, this is huge for use as a scripting language runtime.

My 2 cents. Unlike Planck, Node.js isn't designed to be embeddable, it has all the problems of the JVM with respect to that. Further, beyond AWS Lambda, I don't find the Node.js target particularly compelling given the JVM exists for server side applications. I don't even really see an argument for shell-scripting w/ ClojureScript + Node.js, Clojure already has sub-second launch time on modern hardware.

If Planck supported simpler C integration that would be the legitimate killer application. So to me pursuing Windows & Linux should be about broadening embeddability, not trying to achieve Node.js generality (which IMO is an unrealistic goal anyhow).

In summary, Planck has a very compelling niche if doesn't try to replicate what Node.js is already good at.

@kovasb and @swannodette both mentioned C but I'm wondering if they are from different angles.

@kovasb 's comment appeared to be in line with planck-repl/planck#32

But @swannodette 's embedding might be the opposite: You have a native app you'd like to embed some ClojureScript functionality into? Perhaps using Planck as a library?

There's also atom/electron to consider when it comes to wrapping everything up for easy deployment. It's a very different beast, but could be useful to clearly position Planck, I think.

@mfikes iOS and OS X framework inter-op is a huge interest for many Clojure(script) developers.