Google has made a substantial upgrade to Google Sheets, accelerating calculations for users on Chrome and Edge browsers. The enhancement leverages WasmGC technology, doubling the speed for various tasks, from simple SUM functions to more complex queries.
WasmGC Integration
The core of this performance boost is WasmGC, an extension of the WebAssembly standard. This transition to WasmGC enables faster code execution compared to the previous JavaScript-based approach, significantly reducing calculation times. WasmGC is crafted to bring garbage-collected languages to the web with near-native performance, similar to what WebAssembly has done for languages like C++.
WebAssembly (Wasm) is a binary instruction format for a stack-based virtual machine. It allows code written in multiple languages to run on the web at near-native speed by providing a compilation target for languages like C, C++, and Rust. WebAssembly enables high-performance applications, especially those requiring complex computations and real-time processing, to execute efficiently within web browsers.
Initially, Google Sheets handled calculations server-side. In 2013, this process shifted to local execution for better efficiency. The current update further enhances local execution, making it more effective. It aligns with Google’s broader strategy to make web applications perform at the level of desktop software.
User Experience Enhancements
Users will notice improved speeds across several functions, including formulas, pivot tables, and conditional formatting. These enhancements are accessible to all Workspace and personal accounts, offering a smoother experience when working with large datasets and complex formulas.
Future Plans and Broader Impact
At present, these improvements are exclusive to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. However, Google intends to expand support to other browsers such as Safari and Firefox. Additionally, the company is working on further optimizations to reduce initial load times and enhance features like copy/paste and filter performance.
If you are interested in the technical nuances, Google’s case study on WasmGC provides an in-depth look at the implementation. The technology behind WasmGC holds great potential, possibly surpassing WebAssembly due to the widespread use of garbage-collected languages.