与 JavaScript 的互操作
Kotlin/Wasm allows you to both use JavaScript code from Kotlin and Kotlin code from JavaScript.
The Kotlin/JS compiler already provides the ability to transpile your Kotlin code to JavaScript. The Kotlin/Wasm interoperability with JavaScript is designed in a similar way, taking into account that JavaScript is a dynamically typed language compared to Kotlin. Follow our guide to configure interoperability in your projects.
Remember that Kotlin/Wasm is still Experimental, and some features are not supported yet. We’re planning to improve interoperability with JavaScript by implementing some of the missing features or similar functionality.
Use JavaScript code from Kotlin
external modifier
To access JavaScript declarations defined in the global scope, mark them with the external modifier. Consider this JavaScript code sample:
// JavaScriptfunction consoleLogExample() {console.log("Hello");}let externalInt = 0;let Counter = {value: 0,step: 1,increment() {this.value += this.step;}};class Rectangle {constructor(height, width) {this.height = height;this.width = width;}get area() {return this.calcArea();}calcArea() {return this.height * this.width;}}
Here’s how you can use this JavaScript code in Kotlin:
// Kotlin/Wasm// Use external functions to call JS functions defined in global scopeexternal fun consoleLogExample(): Unit// In addition to functions, you can have external top-level propertiesexternal var externalInt: Int// External objectsexternal object Counter {fun increment(): Unitval value: Intvar step: Int}// External classexternal class Rectangle(height: Double, width: Double) {val height: Doubleval width: Doubleval area: Doublefun calcArea(): Double}
See the full code in the example project Kotlin/Wasm browser.
Some “external” Kotlin/JS features are not supported in Kotlin/Wasm:
- Implementing or extending external types
- External enum classes
@JsFun annotation
To include a small piece of JS code in your Kotlin/Wasm module, use the @JsFun annotation with external top-level functions. The annotation argument should be a string with JS code that evaluates a function with a matching signature:
@JsFun("function count(x) { return x + 10; }")external fun count(x: Int): Int
To make it shorter, use arrow syntax:
@JsFun("x => x + 10")external fun count(x: Int): Int
The Kotlin compiler doesn’t verify these JavaScript snippets and evaluates them as-is. Syntax errors, if any, will be reported when running your JavaScript.
These function expressions are evaluated only once, before the Wasm module is loaded. Do not rely on side effects as these expressions are not run if the function is not called.
@JsModule
To indicate that an external class, package, function, or property is a JavaScript module, use the @JsModule annotation. Consider this JavaScript code sample:
// jsModule.mjslet maxUsers = 10;function getActiveUsers() {return 10;};class User {constructor(maxUsers) {this.maxUsers = maxUsers;}}export {maxUsers, getActiveUsers, User};
Here’s how you can use this JavaScript code in Kotlin:
// kotlin@file:JsModule("./jsModule.mjs")package exampleexternal val maxUsers: Intexternal fun getActiveUsers(): Intexternal class User {constructor(username: String)val username : String}
Kotlin/Wasm supports ES modules only. That’s why you can’t use the
@JsNonModuleannotation.
Use Kotlin code from JavaScript
@JsExport annotation
To make the Kotlin/Wasm declaration available from JavaScript, use the @JsExport annotation with external top-level functions:
// Kotlin/Wasm@JsExportfun addOne(x: Int): Int = x + 1
Now you can use this function from JavaScript in the following way:
// JavaScriptimport exports from "module.mjs"exports.addOne(10)
Functions marked at @JsExport are visible as properties on a default export of the generated .mjs module. Kotlin types in JavaScript In Kotlin/JS, values are implemented internally as JavaScript primitives and objects. They are passed to and from JavaScript without wrapping or copying.
However, in Kotlin/Wasm, objects have a different representation and are not interchangeable with JavaScript. When you pass a Kotlin object to JavaScript, it’s considered as an empty opaque object by default.
The only thing you can do is store it and pass Kotlin objects back to Wasm. However, for primitive types, Kotlin/Wasm can adapt these values so that they can be useful in JavaScript by either copying or wrapping. For efficiency purposes, this is done statically. It’s important that these special concrete types are present in function signatures. For example:
external fun convertIntAndString(num: Int, text: String)external fun convertAnyAndChars(num: Any, text: CharSequence)// ...convertIntAndString(10, "Hello") // Converts Int and String to JS Number and StringconvertAnyAndChars(10, "Hello") // No conversion// values are passed as opaque references to Wasm objects
Kotlin types in JavaScript
Supported types
See how Kotlin types are mapped to JavaScript ones:
| Kotlin | JavaScript | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Byte, Short, Int, Char | Number | |
Float, Double | Number | |
Long | BigInt | |
Boolean | Boolean | |
String | String | String content is copied. In the future, the stringref proposal could allow the zero-copy string interop. |
Unit | Undefined | Only when non-nullable and in functions returning position. |
Function type, for example (int, String) → Int | Function reference | Parameters and return values of function types follow the same type of conversion rules. |
external interface | Any JS value with given properties | |
external class or external object | Corresponding JS class | |
| Other Kotlin types | Not supported | This includes type Any, arrays, the Throwable class, collections, and so on. |
Nullable Type? | Type / null / undefined | |
Type parameters <T : U> | Same as the upper bound | In interop declarations, only external types, like JsAny, are supported as upper bounds of type parameters. |
Exception handling
The Kotlin/Wasm try-catch expression can’t catch the JavaScript exceptions.
If you try to use JavaScript try-catch expression to catch the Kotlin/Wasm exceptions, it’ll look like a generic WebAssembly.Exception without directly accessible messages and data.
Workarounds for Kotlin/JS features non-supported in Kotlin/Wasm
Dynamic type
Kotlin/JS dynamic type used for interoperability with untyped or loosely typed objects is not supported yet. In many cases, you can use external interfaces and the @JsFun annotation instead:
// Kotlin/JSval user: dynamicval age: Int = 0user.profile.updateAge(age);// Kotlin/Wasmexternal interface User@JsFun("(user, age) => user.profile.updateAge(age)")external fun updateUserAge(user: User, age: Int)val user: Userval age: Int = 0updateUserAge(user, age);
Inline JavaScript
The js() function used to inline JavaScript code to Kotlin code is not supported yet. Use the @JsFun annotation instead:
// Kotlin/JSfun jsTypeOf(obj: Any): String {return js("typeof obj")}// Kotlin/Wasm@JsFun("(obj) => typeof obj")external fun jsTypeOf(obj: SomeExternalInterfaceType): String
Extending external interfaces and classes with non-external classes
Extending JavaScript classes and using external interfaces is not supported yet. Use the @JsFun annotation instead:
external interface DataProcessor {fun processData(input: String): Stringfun processResult(input: String): String}class DataHandler(val handlerData: String) {fun processData(input: String): String = input + handlerDatafun processResult(input: String): String = handlerData + input}@JsFun("(processData, processResult) => ({ processData, processResult })")external fun createDataProcessor(processData: (String) -> String,processResult: (String) -> String): DataProcessorfun convertHandlerToProcessor(handler: DataHandler): DataProcessor =createDataProcessor(processData = { input -> handler.processData(input) },processResult = { input -> handler.processResult(input) })

