Web platform

Linear memory

WebAssembly linear memory is a byte-addressed buffer accessed from JavaScript through typed-array views. Its bounds are checked by the runtime.

Ask the Web platform assistant1 min read · Updated September 9, 2026

What it is

WebAssembly linear memory is a byte-addressed buffer accessed from JavaScript through typed-array views. Its bounds are checked by the runtime.

Why it matters

Pointers are offsets into a shared buffer, not JavaScript objects. The host and module must agree on layout and ownership.

Example

A float32 vector of 25 elements occupies 100 bytes. A pointer must be aligned and leave that many bytes in bounds.

Technical detail

After memory growth, recreate JavaScript views as required by the memory type; old views must not be assumed valid.

When to use it

Use fixed buffers for small inference kernels and explicit bounds checks at the host boundary.

Go deeper

Sources

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Assembled from the ReLU.chat curated knowledge base. These explanations are concise on purpose; check the sources for anything important.