Blog for 1.0.0-M2 release

docs/blog/2024-11-26-chicory-1.0.0-M2.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+---
+slug: chicory-1.0.0-M2
+title: 'Announcing Chicory 1.0.0-M2: Second Milestone Release'
+authors: [andreaTP, electrum]
+tags: [wasm, chicory, release]
+---
+<!-- truncate -->
+
+We are working hard on smoothing the edges of Chicory and integrating feedback from the usage of the first Milestone release.
+To keep the ball rolling and give people early access to the changes we are making we are announcing a second Milestone.
+
+Despite the little time from the previous version there are a bunch of relevant changes.
+
+## API breaking changes
+
+The name of `com.dylibso.chicory.wasm.Module` was clashing with the automatic import of `java.lang.Module`, making it inconvenient in some situations, and we renamed it to `com.dylibso.chicory.wasm.WasmModule`.
+
+## Features
+
+To maximize compatibility with the spec, we implemented the [Tail-Call Optimization Proposal](https://github.com/WebAssembly/tail-call/blob/main/proposals/tail-call/Overview.md) in the interpreter.
+
+We bootstrapped the implementation of the missing SIMD opcodes in a layered way, we are keeping compatibility with Java 11 when they are not necessary, and we started encoding those with the upcoming [Vector API](https://openjdk.org/jeps/448).
+There is a lot of work that can be easily parallelized here, come and join the effort if this sounds like an exciting challenge to you!
+
+## AOT improvements
+
+We finished making modules compiled at build time with the `aot-maven-plugin-experimental` completely self-contained! You can now emit a binary that runs pure Java Bytecode and only depends on the Chicory runtime library: the original WASM file is not needed. The `WasmModule` is now provided by the compiled code. Additionally, we changed the Maven configuration so that you now specify the class name prefix rather than the `Machine` class name. See the documentation for [Pre-compiled AOT](/docs/experimental/aot/#pre-compiled-aot) for more details.
+
+## Documentation
+
+A number of improvements happened in the documentation site, making the project more accessible to newcomers.
+We are happy to hear feedback and integrate improvements when you find gaps!
+
+## Conclusion
+
+Chicory is quickly stabilizing, and we have also to thank all of our wonderful [contributors](https://github.com/dylibso/chicory/graphs/contributors): without you we would not be where we are today!
+
+Check out Chicory 1.0.0-M2 and we are looking forward to hear from you!

docs/blog/authors.yml

@@ -25,3 +25,12 @@ evacchi:
   socials:
     x: evacchi
     github: evacchi
+
+electrum:
+  name: David Phillips
+  title: CTO @ Starburst Data
+  url: https://github.com/electrum
+  image_url: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/9230?v=4
+  socials:
+    x: electrum32
+    github: electrum