Andromeda π
A modern, fast, and secure JavaScript & TypeScript runtime built from the ground up in Rust π¦ and powered by Nova Engine and Oxc.
Andromeda provides zero-config TypeScript support, rich Web APIs, and native performance - making it perfect for scripts, utilities, and applications that need to run fast without the complexity of traditional Node.js setups.
β¨ Key Features
- π Zero-configuration TypeScript - Run
.ts
files directly, no transpilation needed - πΊοΈ Import Maps - Modern module resolution with bare specifiers and CDN integration
- π¨ GPU-Accelerated Canvas - Hardware-accelerated 2D Canvas API with WGPU backend and PNG export
- π Web Crypto API - Industry-standard cryptographic primitives
- π SQLite Support - Built-in support for SQLite databases
- π File System Access - Simple APIs for reading/writing files
- πΎ Web Storage - localStorage and sessionStorage APIs for data persistence
- β‘ Native Performance - Rust-powered execution with Nova's optimized JS engine
- π οΈ Developer Tools - Interactive REPL, code formatter, single-file compilation, and performance profiling with hotpath
- π Performance Profiling - Integrated hotpath profiler for identifying bottlenecks and optimizing runtime performance
- π Web Standards - TextEncoder/Decoder, Performance API, and more
- π§ Extensible - Modular architecture with optional features
- π§ Self-Updating - Built-in upgrade system to stay current with latest releases
- π§ Shell Integration - Auto-completion support for bash, zsh, fish, and PowerShell
π― Standards & Compatibility
Andromeda aims to be WinterTC compliant, ensuring interoperability and compatibility with the broader JavaScript ecosystem. WinterTC provides a test suite for JavaScript engines to ensure they conform to ECMAScript standards and common runtime behaviors.
Note:
β οΈ Andromeda is in active development. While functional, it's not yet recommended for production use.
π Quick Start
Installation
Install Andromeda using Cargo:
cargo install --git https://github.com/tryandromeda/andromeda andromeda
Running Code
Execute JavaScript or TypeScript files directly:
# Run a TypeScript file (no compilation needed!)
andromeda run hello.ts
# Run multiple files
andromeda run script1.js script2.ts
# Run with verbose output
andromeda run --verbose my-script.ts
Example: Hello World with Canvas
// Create a simple drawing
const canvas = new OffscreenCanvas(400, 300);
const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d")!;
ctx.fillStyle = "#ff6b6b";
ctx.fillRect(50, 50, 100, 100);
ctx.fillStyle = "#4ecdc4";
ctx.beginPath();
ctx.arc(200, 150, 50, 0, Math.PI * 2);
ctx.fill();
// Save as PNG
canvas.render();
canvas.saveAsPng("output.png");
console.log("Image saved to output.png");
Example: Standard Library
import { Queue } from "https://tryandromeda.dev/std/collections/mod.ts";
import { flatten } from "https://tryandromeda.dev/std/data/mod.ts";
const queue = new Queue();
queue.enqueue("first");
queue.enqueue("second");
console.log(queue.dequeue());
console.log(queue.size);
console.log(flatten([[1, 2], [3, [4, 5]]], 1));
console.log(flatten([[1, 2], [3, [4, 5]]], 2));
π οΈ Core APIs
File System
// Read and write files synchronously
const content = Andromeda.readTextFileSync("input.txt");
Andromeda.writeTextFileSync("output.txt", content.toUpperCase());
// Access environment variables
const home = Andromeda.env.get("HOME");
Andromeda.env.set("MY_VAR", "value");
Canvas & Graphics
// Create graphics programmatically
const canvas = new OffscreenCanvas(800, 600);
const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d")!;
// Draw with full Canvas 2D API
ctx.fillStyle = "linear-gradient(45deg, #f093fb, #f5576c)";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, 800, 600);
// Export to PNG
canvas.saveAsPng("artwork.png");
Web Storage
// localStorage and sessionStorage APIs
localStorage.setItem("user-preference", "dark-mode");
const preference = localStorage.getItem("user-preference");
console.log("Stored items:", localStorage.length);
// Session storage for temporary data
sessionStorage.setItem("session-id", crypto.randomUUID());
const sessionId = sessionStorage.getItem("session-id");
Cryptography
// Generate secure random values
const uuid = crypto.randomUUID();
const randomBytes = crypto.getRandomValues(new Uint8Array(32));
// Hash data
const data = new TextEncoder().encode("Hello, World!");
const hash = await crypto.subtle.digest("SHA-256", data);
Performance Monitoring
// High-precision timing
const start = performance.now();
await someAsyncOperation();
const duration = performance.now() - start;
// Performance marks and measures
performance.mark("operation-start");
await doWork();
performance.mark("operation-end");
performance.measure("total-time", "operation-start", "operation-end");
Database Operations
const db = new Database(":memory:");
const stmt = db.prepare("INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (?, ?)");
stmt.run("Alice", "alice@example.com");
const users = db.prepare("SELECT * FROM users").all();
console.log(users);
db.close();
π― Developer Experience
Interactive REPL
Andromeda includes a powerful REPL with enhanced developer experience:
# Start the interactive REPL
andromeda repl
# REPL with debugging options
andromeda repl --print-internals --expose-internals --disable-gc
β¨ REPL Features:
- Advanced Syntax Highlighting - TypeScript-aware coloring with keyword recognition
- Smart Multiline Input - Automatic detection of incomplete syntax (functions, objects, etc.)
- Performance Metrics - Execution timing for every evaluation
- Command History - Navigate through previous commands with arrow keys
- Built-in Commands -
help
,history
,clear
,gc
,exit
- Auto-completion - Context-aware suggestions for JavaScript/TypeScript
Code Formatting
Format TypeScript and JavaScript files with the built-in formatter:
# Format specific files
andromeda fmt script.ts utils.js
# Format entire directories
andromeda fmt src/ examples/
# Format current directory
andromeda fmt
Single-File Compilation
Compile your scripts into standalone executables:
# Create a single-file executable
andromeda compile my-script.ts my-app.exe
# Run the compiled executable directly
./my-app.exe
Language Server Protocol (LSP)
Andromeda includes a built-in Language Server that provides real-time diagnostics and linting capabilities for JavaScript and TypeScript files in your editor:
# Start the Language Server (typically called by your editor)
andromeda lsp
β¨ LSP Features:
- Real-time Diagnostics - Live error reporting as you type
- Comprehensive Linting - 5 built-in rules for code quality:
- Empty function detection
- Empty statement detection
- Variable usage validation
- Unreachable code detection
- Invalid syntax highlighting
- Multi-file Support - Workspace-wide analysis
- Rich Error Messages - Detailed explanations with code context
- Editor Integration - Works with VS Code, Neovim, and other LSP-compatible editors
Configure your editor to use andromeda lsp
as the language server for
JavaScript and TypeScript files to get instant feedback on code quality.
Shell Integration
Generate completion scripts for your shell:
# Auto-detect shell and generate completions
andromeda completions
# Generate for specific shells
andromeda completions bash > /etc/bash_completion.d/andromeda
andromeda completions zsh > ~/.zsh/completions/_andromeda
andromeda completions fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/andromeda.fish
andromeda completions powershell > $PROFILE/andromeda.ps1
Self-Updating
Keep Andromeda up to date with the built-in upgrade system:
# Upgrade to latest version
andromeda upgrade
# Force reinstall current version
andromeda upgrade --force
# Upgrade to specific version
andromeda upgrade --version v0.1.2
# Preview what would be upgraded
andromeda upgrade --dry-run
Task System
Andromeda includes a powerful task system inspired by Deno, allowing you to define and run custom scripts and workflows directly from your configuration file.
Defining Tasks
Tasks are defined in your andromeda.json
, andromeda.toml
, or andromeda.yaml
configuration file:
{
"tasks": {
"dev": "andromeda run src/main.ts",
"build": {
"description": "Build the project",
"command": "echo Building project...",
"env": {
"NODE_ENV": "production"
}
},
"test": {
"description": "Run tests after building",
"command": "andromeda run tests/main.ts",
"dependencies": ["build"]
},
"deploy": {
"description": "Deploy to production",
"command": "echo Deploying...",
"dependencies": ["test"],
"cwd": "./dist"
}
}
}
Running Tasks
# List all available tasks
andromeda task
# Run a specific task
andromeda task dev
andromeda task build
andromeda task test
# Dependencies are automatically resolved
andromeda task deploy # Will run: build β test β deploy
ποΈ Architecture & Extensions
Andromeda is built with a modular architecture, allowing features to be enabled or disabled as needed:
Runtime Extensions
Extension | Description | APIs Provided |
---|---|---|
Canvas | GPU-accelerated 2D graphics | OffscreenCanvas , CanvasRenderingContext2D , ImageBitmap with WGPU backend |
Crypto | Web Crypto API implementation | crypto.subtle , crypto.randomUUID() , crypto.getRandomValues() |
Console | Enhanced console output | console.log() , console.error() , console.warn() |
Fetch | HTTP client capabilities | fetch() , Request , Response , Headers |
File System | File I/O operations | Andromeda.readTextFileSync() , Andromeda.writeTextFileSync() , directory ops |
Local Storage | Web storage APIs | localStorage , sessionStorage with persistence |
Process | System interaction | Andromeda.args , Andromeda.env , Andromeda.exit() |
SQLite | Database operations | Database , prepared statements, transactions |
Time | Timing utilities | performance.now() , setTimeout() , setInterval() , Andromeda.sleep() |
URL | URL parsing and manipulation | URL , URLSearchParams |
Web | Web standards | TextEncoder , TextDecoder , navigator , queueMicrotask() |
Advanced Features
- Microtask Scheduling -
queueMicrotask()
for proper async execution order - Navigator API - Complete
navigator.userAgent
and platform detection - Structured Clone - Web platform structured clone algorithm for object serialization
- Performance Timing - High-precision timing with marks and measurements
- Hardware Acceleration - WGPU-based GPU rendering for Canvas operations
Crates
Crate | Description |
---|---|
andromeda | Command-line interface and developer tools |
andromeda-core | Core runtime engine and JavaScript execution |
andromeda-runtime | Runtime extensions and Web API implementations |
π€ Contributing
Andromeda is an open-source project and welcomes contributions! Whether you're interested in:
- π Bug fixes - Help improve stability
- β¨ New features - Add runtime capabilities
- π Documentation - Improve guides and examples
- π§ͺ Testing - Expand test coverage
Join our Discord community to discuss ideas and get involved!