Andromeda 🌌

A modern, fast, and secure JavaScript & TypeScript runtime built from the ground up in Rust 🦀 and powered by Nova Engine.

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.

✨ Key Features

• 🚀 Zero-configuration TypeScript - Run .ts files directly, no transpilation needed
• 🗺️ Import Maps - Modern module resolution with bare specifiers and CDN integration
• 🎨 GPU-Accelerated Canvas - Hardware-accelerated 2D Canvas API with WGPU backend and PNG export
• 🔐 Web Crypto API - Industry-standard cryptographic primitives
• 📒 SQLite Support - Built-in support for SQLite databases
• 📁 File System Access - Simple APIs for reading/writing files
• 💾 Web Storage - localStorage and sessionStorage APIs for data persistence
• ⚡ Native Performance - Rust-powered execution with Nova's optimized JS engine
• 🛠️ Developer Tools - Interactive REPL, code formatter, and single-file compilation
• 🌐 Web Standards - TextEncoder/Decoder, Performance API, and more
• 🔧 Extensible - Modular architecture with optional features
• 🔧 Self-Updating - Built-in upgrade system to stay current with latest releases
• 🔧 Shell Integration - Auto-completion support for bash, zsh, fish, and PowerShell

🎯 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: ⚠️ Andromeda is in active development. While functional, it's not yet recommended for production use.

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

Install Andromeda using Cargo:

cargo install --git https://github.com/tryandromeda/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");

🛠️ 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();

🎯 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

✨ 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

✨ 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 → test → deploy

🏗️ 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

🤝 Contributing

Andromeda is an open-source project and welcomes contributions! Whether you're interested in:

• 🐛 Bug fixes - Help improve stability
• ✨ New features - Add runtime capabilities
• 📚 Documentation - Improve guides and examples
• 🧪 Testing - Expand test coverage

Join our Discord community to discuss ideas and get involved!

📜 License

Mozilla Public License Version 2.0