Do we need a new term for a WASI "module"?

[sbc100]

We've been talking about WASI APIs being provided by WASI "module"s. But a WebAssembly modules built against WASI APIs might also logically be called a WASI modules.

Since WASI APIs are not (in general) provided by WebAssembly modules but by the embedder directly i think it might make more sense to come up with a better term for a WASI API.

Ideas?

• WASI API?
• WASI sys-module?
• WASI component?

[xtuc]

• WASI support
• WASI environment
• WASI platform
• WASI host

[sbc100]

Alternatively we can continue to use WASI module to refer to the system components and come up with a new name for a program that uses WASI?

[binji]

• interface
• WAD
• WAM
• WAI
• WASAPI

[skyne98]

WASI Extensions? The same route as RISC-V and Vulkan?

Something like WASI-64INF => 64-bit WASI with IPC, Network and Floating-point extensions
Or just like OpenGL/Vulkan WASI_IPC, WASI_NETWORK, WASI_FLOATING_POINT

[sbc100]

I was asking about the core APIs. Right now we seem to be calling them "modules" but that seems confusing.

[cjihrig]

I like the idea of calling them the WASI API.

[sunfishcode]

I've taken to using the term "API module" when there's a need to disambiguate, and it seems to work well.

[sbc100]

I think the original premise of this issue no longer holds: "Since WASI APIs are not provided by WebAssembly modules but by the embedder directly...". These days my understanding is that folks are very excited about virtualization and really want this statement to be false.

So perhaps this whole issue can just be closed?

[sunfishcode]

Good point :-).