# GetFirefly/firefly

An alternative BEAM implementation, designed for WebAssembly

Repository: https://github.com/GetFirefly/firefly
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/getfirefly-firefly
Language: Rust
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Topics: beam, erlang, erlang-vm, virtual-machine, web-assembly, compiler, lumen, hacktoberfest
Archived: true
Last push: 2023-10-18T18:50:02+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 10/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2826, "days_push": 1050, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, archived
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3583, forks 110 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:11.023845+00:00)

## What it is
Firefly is an alternative implementation of the BEAM virtual machine, including a compiler and runtime for BEAM languages like Erlang and Elixir, written in Rust. It targets WebAssembly as a primary compilation target, enabling BEAM language code to run in the browser and other WASM environments.

## Use cases
- compile Erlang or Elixir code to WebAssembly
- run BEAM language applications in the browser
- build web apps using Elixir without a server
- experiment with alternative Erlang VM implementations
- compile BEAM languages to native executables or libraries
- embed Erlang-style concurrency in WASM environments

## When to choose
- you want to run Erlang/Elixir code in WebAssembly environments like the browser
- you need a lightweight alternative to the standard BEAM VM
- you're experimenting with compiling BEAM languages to native or WASM targets

## When to avoid
- you need a production-ready, fully OTP-compatible Erlang VM
- you rely on complete OTP behavior and standard library support
- you need a stable, mature toolchain for critical systems

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: experimental
- function: compiler, interpreter, wasm, developer-tools
- domain: compilers, programming-languages, web-development, developer-tools
- platform: wasm, rust, cli
- tags: beam, erlang, wasm, virtual-machine, rust, lumen, compiler, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- GetFirefly/firefly (main) score 10

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:11.023845+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T08:31:29.260652+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/GetFirefly/firefly (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:11.023845+00:00, sha cb13c5457bbf)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.