Kernel

The kernel is jiki’s execution engine. It runs JavaScript and TypeScript code in the browser, handles module caching and code transformation, and implements the require/module system with Node.js-compatible resolution.

It uses esbuild-wasm under the hood for on-the-fly transpilation of TypeScript and JSX, so you can run modern JavaScript toolchains without a build step. Modules are cached after their first load so subsequent imports are fast.

What it does

• Implements Node.js-compatible require() with relative paths, node_modules lookup, and package.json entry points
• Transpiles TypeScript, JSX, and TSX files before execution
• Caches compiled modules to avoid redundant transpilation
• Sets up process, __dirname, __filename, and other Node.js globals

How it works

When you call container.run() or container.execute(), the kernel resolves the entry file, transpiles it if necessary, and executes it within a sandboxed context. Any require() calls within the code trigger the same resolution and transpilation pipeline recursively.