Scalus Multiplatform — Cardano on JVM, JavaScript, and Native
Scalus compiles to JVM, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Native from the same Scala 3 codebase. Write once, deploy anywhere — from server-side backends to browser wallets to CLI tools.
Platform Support Matrix
| Feature | JVM | JS/TS | Native |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart contracts / UPLC | ✓ (Scala) | — | — |
| SIR compiler | ✓ (Scala) | — | — |
| Standard library | ✓ | ✓ (Off-chain) | ✓ (Off-chain) |
| Transaction builder | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Script evaluation / Cost calculation | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Plutus VM | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ledger Rules / Framework | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Testing utilities | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Emulator | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Yaci DevKit | ✓ | — | — |
| Ed25519 signatures | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECDSA secp256k1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schnorr signatures | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| BLS12-381 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
When to Use Which Platform
JVM — Full DApp Development
The JVM platform provides the complete Scalus stack:
- Smart contract development with the compiler plugin (Scala 3)
- Transaction building with TxBuilder
- Local testing with Emulator and Yaci DevKit
- Integration with Bloxbean Cardano Client Library
- Production backends with mature JVM ecosystem
Best for: Backend services, full DApp development, integration testing, production deployments.
JavaScript/TypeScript — Offchain & Browser
JavaScript/TypeScript enables Scalus in Node.js and browser environments:
- Script evaluation — Run Plutus V1/V2/V3 scripts
- Transaction building — Construct and sign transactions
- Wallet integration — Works with Lucid Evolution
- Cost estimation — Calculate execution units offchain
- Browser DApps — Full offchain logic in the browser
See the scalus npm package for JavaScript/TypeScript API, installation, and usage examples.
Best for: Browser wallets, Node.js tooling, Lucid-based DApps, offchain computation.
Native — CLI & Embedded
Scala Native compiles to native binaries:
- Fast startup — No JVM warmup
- Small footprint — Standalone executables
- System integration — FFI to C libraries
Best for: CLI tools, embedded systems, static libraries.
Get in Touch
Building a JavaScript/TypeScript or Native integration? We’re actively looking for feedback and early adopters. Open an issue or reach out — we’d love to help with your integration.
See Also
- Getting Started — Set up JVM development environment
- Emulator — In-memory testing (JVM)
- JS/TS Emulator — In-memory testing (JavaScript/TypeScript)
- Transaction Builder — Build transactions (JVM/JS)
- Local Devnet — Integration testing (JVM only)