Cloud-based serverless applications often face the challenge of cold start times, which can significantly impact user experience. This presentation explores Unikernels, a lightweight virtualization technology that offers a promising solution. Unikernels, characterized by their minimal footprint, contain only the necessary application code and dependencies, resulting in significantly faster boot times compared to traditional VMs.

Specifically, this talk will will delve into the synergy between Unikernels and WebAssembly (WASM). WASM is a binary format for efficient execution of code on the web. We will discuss how Unikernels can be effectively utilized to deploy WASM applications on public clouds, providing efficient hardware-isolation and addressing the cold start problem. By comparing Unikernels with existing approaches like SPIN, we will highlight the unique advantages and potential use cases of this technology.

In the words of Dr. Seuss (or how close I can get to imitate it without GenAI)
Come along, let's explore this land,
Of Unikernels and WASM, hand in hand.
Discover their secrets, their magic and might,
A cloud-computing journey, a wondrous sight.