Andromeda
A modern, fast, and secure JavaScript & TypeScript runtime built from the ground up in Rust 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.
Join our Discord community to discuss ideas and get involved!
Key Features
- Zero-configuration TypeScript - Run
.tsfiles directly, no transpilation needed - Import Maps - Modern module resolution with bare specifiers and CDN integration Built-in HTTP Server - Create web servers and APIs with minimal configuration
- 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, single-file compilation, and performance profiling with hotpath
- Performance Profiling - Integrated hotpath profiler for identifying bottlenecks and optimizing runtime performance for andromeda development
- 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
Platform specific instructions:
Linux/Mac:
Windows (PowerShell):
Windows (CMD):
Install Andromeda using Cargo:
Install Andromeda using winget:
Running Code
Execute JavaScript or TypeScript files directly:
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
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.saveAsPng("output.png");
console.log("Image saved to output.png");
Example: Standard Library
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));
Core APIs
File System
const content = Andromeda.readTextFileSync("input.txt");
Andromeda.writeTextFileSync("output.txt", content.toUpperCase());
// and asynchronously
const contentAsync = await Andromeda.readTextFile("input.txt");
await Andromeda.writeTextFile("output.txt", contentAsync.toUpperCase());
// Access environment variables
const home = Andromeda.env.get("HOME");
Andromeda.env.set("MY_VAR", "value");
Canvas & Graphics
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.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
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
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 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:
andromeda repl
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
andromeda upgrade
# Force reinstall current version
andromeda upgrade --force
# Upgrade to specific version
andromeda upgrade --version 0.1.0-draft-49
# 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": "echo Building project...",
"test": "andromeda run tests/main.ts",
}
}
Running Tasks
andromeda task
# Run a specific task
andromeda task dev
andromeda task build
andromeda task test
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() |
Andromeda Satellites
Satellites are minimal, purpose-built executables designed for containerized environments and microservice architectures. Each satellite focuses on a single capability, providing smaller container images, faster startup times, and better resource utilization.
Available Satellites
- andromeda-run - Execute JavaScript/TypeScript in production containers
- andromeda-compile - Compile JS/TS to executables
- andromeda-fmt - Format code
- andromeda-lint - Lint code for quality issues
- andromeda-check - Type-check TypeScript
- andromeda-bundle - Bundle and minify code
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!