Compile a source file to WAT and analyze the output for codegen inefficiencies. Use after a codegen change to verify the output is clean, when investigating performance issues, or when creating optimization issues from real compiler output.
Install
npx skillscat add loopdive/js2/analyze-wat Install via the SkillsCat registry.
SKILL.md
Analyze WAT Output
Compile a source file to WAT and analyze the output for codegen inefficiencies.
When to use
- After implementing a codegen change, to verify the output is clean
- When investigating performance issues
- When creating optimization issues from real compiler output
Steps
- Compile the source to WAT:
node --input-type=module -e "
import { compile } from './scripts/compiler-bundle.mjs';
import fs from 'fs';
const src = fs.readFileSync('SOURCE_FILE', 'utf8');
const result = compile(src, { fileName: 'test.ts', emitWat: true });
if (!result.success) { console.log('ERRORS:', result.errors.slice(0,5).map(e => e.message).join('\n')); process.exit(1); }
fs.writeFileSync('/tmp/output.wat', result.wat);
console.log('WAT:', result.wat.length, 'chars | Binary:', result.binary.length, 'bytes');
"- Check for known inefficiency patterns:
| Pattern | How to detect | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate locals | Same (local $name appearing twice with different types |
Medium — bloats binary |
| Infinity guard on constant modulo | f64.abs + f64.const Infinity + f64.eq near f64.div/f64.trunc |
High — 10 extra instructions per % |
| Dead drops | local.tee N followed later by drop with no intervening use |
Medium — wasted stack ops |
| TDZ flags unused | (local $__tdz_ that are set to 1 but never checked |
Low — extra locals |
| String concat chains | Multiple consecutive call $concat_import |
Medium — N-1 intermediate strings |
| If-chain → br_table candidate | Same local.get + f64.const N + f64.eq + if repeated 3+ times |
High — O(n) vs O(1) |
| f64↔i32 roundtrip | f64.convert_i32_s immediately followed by i32.trunc_sat_f64_s |
High — pure waste |
| Redundant null guards | ref.is_null + if on provably non-null values (literals, new, struct.new) |
Medium — unnecessary branches |
For each pattern found, note:
- Source line that produced it
- WAT line numbers
- How many instructions could be saved
- Which codegen file to fix
Create or update issues in
plan/issues/citing specific source code and WAT output.
Example
# Analyze the default playground example
node --input-type=module -e "
import { compile } from './scripts/compiler-bundle.mjs';
import fs from 'fs';
const src = fs.readFileSync('playground/examples/dom/calendar.ts', 'utf8');
const result = compile(src, { fileName: 'calendar.ts', emitWat: true });
fs.writeFileSync('/tmp/calendar.wat', result.wat);
console.log('Binary:', result.binary.length, 'bytes');
"
# Then inspect: grep -n 'f64.const Infinity' /tmp/calendar.wat