diff --git a/game-of-life/README.md b/game-of-life/README.md
index 52a970d..f62d69a 100644
--- a/game-of-life/README.md
+++ b/game-of-life/README.md
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ Afterwards, run
 $> npm start
 ```
 
-to start a <a href="http://localhost:9080">local server</a>. Should also automatically launch a browser.
+to start a local server.
diff --git a/game-of-life/build/optimized.wasm b/game-of-life/build/optimized.wasm
index 75db097..4fb95d0 100644
Binary files a/game-of-life/build/optimized.wasm and b/game-of-life/build/optimized.wasm differ
diff --git a/game-of-life/package.json b/game-of-life/package.json
index 45b024d..e567bf7 100644
--- a/game-of-life/package.json
+++ b/game-of-life/package.json
@@ -4,13 +4,12 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --use Math=JSMath --runtime none --importMemory --sourceMap --debug --measure",
-    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts --use Math=JSMath -O3 --runtime none --importMemory --sourceMap --measure",
+    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --use Math=JSMath --runtime stub --importMemory --sourceMap --debug --measure",
+    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts --use Math=JSMath -O3 --runtime stub --importMemory --sourceMap --measure",
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:untouched && npm run asbuild:optimized",
-    "start": "http-server . -o -c-1"
+    "start": "npx serve"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "assemblyscript": "latest",
-    "http-server": "^0.12.3"
+    "assemblyscript": "latest"
   }
 }
diff --git a/i64/package.json b/i64/package.json
index dffb55b..ef38428 100644
--- a/i64/package.json
+++ b/i64/package.json
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
   "types": "index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:untouched && npm run asbuild:optimized",
-    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/i64.ts -t build/untouched.wat -b build/untouched.wasm --runtime none --sourceMap --debug --measure",
-    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/i64.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts -O3 --runtime none --sourceMap --measure",
+    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/i64.ts -t build/untouched.wat -b build/untouched.wasm --runtime stub --sourceMap --debug --measure",
+    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/i64.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts -O3 --runtime stub --sourceMap --measure",
     "test": "node tests"
   },
   "files": [
diff --git a/interference/README.md b/interference/README.md
index 4c6c858..7f694fc 100644
--- a/interference/README.md
+++ b/interference/README.md
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ Afterwards, run
 $> npm start
 ```
 
-to start a <a href="http://127.0.0.1:8080">local server</a>. Should also automatically launch a browser.
+to start a local server.
diff --git a/interference/build/optimized.wasm b/interference/build/optimized.wasm
index d6581a9..bb258c2 100644
Binary files a/interference/build/optimized.wasm and b/interference/build/optimized.wasm differ
diff --git a/interference/package.json b/interference/package.json
index 5ccbb27..dd7fa7b 100644
--- a/interference/package.json
+++ b/interference/package.json
@@ -4,13 +4,12 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --sourceMap --runtime none --debug",
-    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat --sourceMap --runtime none --optimize",
+    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --sourceMap --runtime stub --debug",
+    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat --sourceMap --runtime stub --optimize",
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:untouched && npm run asbuild:optimized",
-    "start": "http-server . -o -c-1"
+    "start": "npx serve"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "assemblyscript": "latest",
-    "http-server": "^0.12.3"
+    "assemblyscript": "latest"
   }
 }
diff --git a/libm/package.json b/libm/package.json
index 900b0c0..a8fcc56 100644
--- a/libm/package.json
+++ b/libm/package.json
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
   "types": "index.d.ts",
   "scripts": {
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:libm && npm run asbuild:libmf",
-    "asbuild:libm": "asc assembly/libm.ts -O3 -b build/libm.wasm -t build/libm.wat --runtime none",
-    "asbuild:libmf": "asc assembly/libmf.ts -O3 -b build/libmf.wasm -t build/libmf.wat --runtime none",
+    "asbuild:libm": "asc assembly/libm.ts -O3 -b build/libm.wasm -t build/libm.wat --runtime stub",
+    "asbuild:libmf": "asc assembly/libmf.ts -O3 -b build/libmf.wasm -t build/libmf.wat --runtime stub",
     "test": "node tests"
   },
   "files": [
diff --git a/loader/build/optimized.wasm b/loader/build/optimized.wasm
index 994c501..5903c4c 100644
Binary files a/loader/build/optimized.wasm and b/loader/build/optimized.wasm differ
diff --git a/loader/package.json b/loader/package.json
index 286aab2..019045a 100644
--- a/loader/package.json
+++ b/loader/package.json
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --sourceMap --debug",
-    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat --sourceMap --optimize",
+    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --exportRuntime --sourceMap --debug",
+    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat --exportRuntime --sourceMap --optimize",
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:untouched && npm run asbuild:optimized",
     "test": "node tests"
   },
diff --git a/loader/tests/index.js b/loader/tests/index.js
index 0042010..45329c5 100644
--- a/loader/tests/index.js
+++ b/loader/tests/index.js
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ const myModule = require("../index");
 // Obtain the runtime helpers for
 const {
   // memory management
-  __allocString, __allocArray,
+  __newString, __newArray,
   // garbage collection
-  __retain, __release,
+  __pin, __unpin,
   // and interop
   __getString, __getArray, __getArrayView
 } = myModule;
@@ -15,40 +15,34 @@ const {
 {
   console.log("Example 1:");
 
-  // Obtain a pointer to our string in the module's memory. Note that `return`ing
-  // a string, or any other object, from WebAssembly to JavaScript automatically
-  // retains a reference for us, the caller, to release when we are done with it.
-  const ptr = myModule.getHello();
+  // Obtain a pointer to our string in the module's memory.
+  const ptr = __pin(myModule.getHello());
 
   // Print its contents
   console.log("  " + __getString(ptr));
 
-  __release(ptr); // we are done with the returned string but
-                  // it might still be alive in WebAssembly
+  __unpin(ptr); // it is ok if the string becomes garbage collected now
 }
 
 // Test for Example 2: Passing a string from JavaScript to WebAssembly.
 {
   console.log("Example 2:");
 
-  // Allocate a string in the module's memory and retain a reference to our allocation
-  const ptr = __retain(__allocString("Hello world (I am a JavaScript string)"));
+  // Allocate a string in the module's memory and pin it externally
+  const ptr = __pin(__newString("Hello world (I am a JavaScript string)"));
 
   // Pass it to our WebAssembly export, which is going to print it using our custom console
   myModule.sayHello(ptr);
 
-  __release(ptr); // we are done with the allocated string but
-                  // it might still be alive in WebAssembly
+  __unpin(ptr); // it is ok if the string becomes garbage collected now
 }
 
 // Test for Example 4: Passing an array from WebAssembly to JavaScript.
 {
   console.log("Example 4:");
 
-  // Obtain a pointer to our array in the module's memory. Note that `return`ing
-  // an object from WebAssembly to JavaScript automatically retains a reference
-  // for us, the caller, to release when we are done with it.
-  const ptr = myModule.getMyArray(10);
+  // Obtain a pointer to our array in the module's memory.
+  const ptr = __pin(myModule.getMyArray(10));
 
   // Obtain a live view on it
   const view = __getArrayView(ptr);
@@ -58,7 +52,7 @@ const {
   const copy = __getArray(ptr);
   console.log("  " + copy + " (copy)");
 
-  __release(ptr); // we are done with the array
+  __unpin(ptr); // it is ok if the array becomes garbage collected now
 }
 
 // Test for Example 5: Passing an array from JavaScript to WebAssembly.
@@ -68,7 +62,7 @@ const {
   // Allocate a new array in WebAssembly memory and get a view on it. Note that
   // we have to specify the runtime id of the array type we want to allocate, so
   // we export its id (`idof<Int32Array>`) from the module to do so.
-  const ptr = __retain(__allocArray(myModule.Int32Array_ID, [ 1, 2, 3 ]));
+  const ptr = __pin(__newArray(myModule.Int32Array_ID, [ 1, 2, 3 ]));
   const view = __getArrayView(ptr);
   const copy = __getArray(ptr);
 
@@ -82,8 +76,7 @@ const {
   // The initial copy remains unchanged and is not linked to `ptr`
   console.log("  Unmodified copy: " + copy);
 
-  __release(ptr); // we are done with our allocated array but
-                  // it might still be alive in WebAssembly
+  __unpin(ptr); // it is ok if the array becomes garbage collected now
 }
 
 // Test for Example 6: WebAssembly arrays of WebAssembly strings.
@@ -91,18 +84,19 @@ const {
   console.log("Example 6:");
 
   // Allocate a new array, but this time its elements are pointers to strings.
-  // Note: Allocating an array of strings or other objects will automatically
-  // take care of retaining references to its elements, but the array itself
-  // must be dealt with as usual.
-  const inPtr = __retain(__allocArray(myModule.ArrayOfStrings_ID, [ "hello", "world" ].map(__allocString)));
+  const elemPtrs = [ "hello", "world" ].map(v => __pin(__newString(v)));
+  const inPtr = __pin(__newArray(myModule.ArrayOfStrings_ID, elemPtrs));
+
+  // The array keeps its values alive from now on
+  elemPtrs.forEach(__unpin);
 
   // Provide our array of lowercase strings to WebAssembly, and obtain the new
   // array of uppercase strings before printing it.
-  const outPtr = myModule.capitalize(inPtr);
+  const outPtr = __pin(myModule.capitalize(inPtr));
   console.log("  Uppercased: " + __getArray(outPtr).map(__getString));
 
-  __release(inPtr);  // release our allocation and release
-  __release(outPtr); // the return value. you know the drill!
+  __unpin(inPtr); // it is ok if the arrays becomes garbage collected now
+  __unpin(outPtr);
 
   // Note that Example 6 is not an especially efficient use case and one would
   // typically rather avoid the overhead and do this in JavaScript directly.
@@ -114,27 +108,31 @@ const {
 
   // Create a new player. Note that the loader makes a nice object structure
   // of our exports, here a class `Player` within the `Game` namespace. So
-  // let's call the `Player` constructor (this is also an allocation):
+  // let's call the `Player` constructor:
   let player;
   {
-    const namePtr = __retain(__allocString("Gordon Freeman"));
+    const namePtr = __pin(__newString("Gordon Freeman"));
     player = new myModule.Game.Player(namePtr);
-    __release(namePtr);
+    __pin(player);
+    __unpin(namePtr);
+    // Pro tip: Pinning is optional in this exact case
   }
 
   // Let's see how our player looks now by calling toString
   {
-    const strPtr = player.toString();
+    const strPtr = __pin(player.toString());
     console.log("  Player (new): " + __getString(strPtr));
-    __release(strPtr);
+    __unpin(strPtr);
+    // Pro tip: Pinning is optional in this exact case
   }
 
   // Move them and log again
   {
     player.move(10, 20);
-    const strPtr = player.toString();
+    const strPtr = __pin(player.toString());
     console.log("  Player (moved): " + __getString(strPtr));
-    __release(strPtr);
+    __unpin(strPtr);
+    // Pro tip: Pinning is optional in this exact case
   }
 
   // Obtaining just the position. Note that we can `wrap` any pointer with
@@ -142,29 +140,30 @@ const {
   // that a position's x and y properties are just basic values, not objects,
   // so tracking references does not apply to them.
   {
-    const positionPtr = player.position; // implicit getter, retained for us
+    const positionPtr = __pin(player.position);
     const position = myModule.Game.Position.wrap(positionPtr);
     console.log("  Position (wrapped): " + position.x + "/" + position.y);
 
     position.x -= 100;
     position.y += 200;
 
-    const strPtr = position.toString();
+    const strPtr = __pin(position.toString());
     console.log("  Position (moved): " + __getString(strPtr));
-    __release(strPtr);
+    __unpin(strPtr);
 
-    __release(positionPtr);
+    __unpin(positionPtr);
   }
 
   // Finish 'em
   {
     player.kill();
-    const strPtr = player.toString();
+    const strPtr = __pin(player.toString());
     console.log("  Player (finished): " + __getString(strPtr));
-    __release(strPtr); // we are done with the returned object
+    __unpin(strPtr);
+    // Pro tip: Pinning is optional in this exact case
   }
 
-  __release(player); // a tidy house, a tidy mind.
+  __unpin(player); // a tidy house, a tidy mind.
 }
 
 // Interested in all the details? https://docs.assemblyscript.org/details :)
diff --git a/mandelbrot/README.md b/mandelbrot/README.md
index 06e392c..f8ad965 100644
--- a/mandelbrot/README.md
+++ b/mandelbrot/README.md
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ Afterwards, run
 $> npm start
 ```
 
-to start a <a href="http://127.0.0.1:8080">local server</a>. Should also automatically launch a browser.
+to start a local server.
diff --git a/mandelbrot/build/optimized.wasm b/mandelbrot/build/optimized.wasm
index 076eed8..bd2f855 100644
Binary files a/mandelbrot/build/optimized.wasm and b/mandelbrot/build/optimized.wasm differ
diff --git a/mandelbrot/package.json b/mandelbrot/package.json
index 122d777..5b6c6b9 100644
--- a/mandelbrot/package.json
+++ b/mandelbrot/package.json
@@ -4,13 +4,12 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --use Math=JSMath --runtime none --importMemory --sourceMap --debug --measure",
-    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts --use Math=JSMath --runtime none -O3 --importMemory --sourceMap --measure",
+    "asbuild:untouched": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/untouched.wasm -t build/untouched.wat --use Math=JSMath --runtime stub --importMemory --sourceMap --debug --measure",
+    "asbuild:optimized": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/optimized.wasm -t build/optimized.wat -d build/optimized.d.ts --use Math=JSMath --runtime stub -O3 --importMemory --sourceMap --measure",
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:untouched && npm run asbuild:optimized",
-    "start": "http-server . -o -c-1"
+    "start": "npx serve"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "assemblyscript": "latest",
-    "http-server": "^0.12.3"
+    "assemblyscript": "latest"
   }
 }
diff --git a/n-body/README.md b/n-body/README.md
index 6d55b2d..f3d370b 100644
--- a/n-body/README.md
+++ b/n-body/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Afterwards, run
 $> npm start
 ```
 
-to start a <a href="http://localhost:9080">local server</a>. Should also automatically launch a browser.
+to start a local server.
 
 To run the benchmark:
 
diff --git a/n-body/build/as_nbody.wasm b/n-body/build/as_nbody.wasm
index 43a2275..ed27e75 100644
Binary files a/n-body/build/as_nbody.wasm and b/n-body/build/as_nbody.wasm differ
diff --git a/n-body/package.json b/n-body/package.json
index 7252eb4..1fb86a8 100644
--- a/n-body/package.json
+++ b/n-body/package.json
@@ -4,18 +4,17 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "asbuild:wasm": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/as_nbody.wasm -t build/as_nbody.wat -O3 --runtime none --noAssert --importMemory",
-    "asbuild:js": "asc assembly/index.ts -j build/as_nbody.js -O3 --runtime none --noAssert && node scripts/postprocess-js",
+    "asbuild:wasm": "asc assembly/index.ts -b build/as_nbody.wasm -t build/as_nbody.wat -O3 --runtime stub --noAssert --importMemory",
+    "asbuild:js": "asc assembly/index.ts -j build/as_nbody.js -O3 --runtime stub --noAssert && node scripts/postprocess-js",
     "asbuild": "npm run asbuild:wasm && npm run asbuild:js",
     "tsbuild": "tsc -p assembly -t ES2017 -m commonjs --outDir build",
     "rsbuild": "cd rust && RUSTFLAGS='-C link-arg=-s' cargo +nightly build --release",
     "build": "npm run asbuild && npm run tsbuild && npm run rsbuild",
-    "start": "http-server . -o -c-1",
+    "start": "npx serve",
     "test": "node --no-wasm-bounds-checks --no-wasm-stack-checks --expose-gc tests"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "assemblyscript": "latest",
-    "http-server": "^0.12.3",
-    "typescript": "^3.8.3"
+    "typescript": "^3.9.7"
   }
 }
diff --git a/n-body/scripts/postprocess-js.js b/n-body/scripts/postprocess-js.js
index 263251a..9801c05 100644
--- a/n-body/scripts/postprocess-js.js
+++ b/n-body/scripts/postprocess-js.js
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ const path = require("path");
 const filename = path.join(__dirname, "..", "build" , "as_nbody.js");
 var source = fs.readFileSync(filename, { encoding: "utf8" });
 source = source.replace(/^export var ([^ ]+) =/mg, ($0, $1) => "exports." + $1 + " = ");
+source = source.replace("import { abort } from 'env';", "function abort() { throw new Error('abort'); }");
 fs.writeFileSync(filename, source);
diff --git a/sdk/index.html b/sdk/index.html
index 2a3f325..6319231 100644
--- a/sdk/index.html
+++ b/sdk/index.html
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
   function simpleExample(asc) {
     const { text, binary } = asc.compileString(SOURCE_CODE, {
       optimizeLevel: 3,
-      runtime: "none"
+      runtime: "stub"
     });
     console.log(`>>> TEXT >>>\n${text}`);
     console.log(`>>> BINARY >>>\n${binary.length} bytes`);
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     asc.main([
       "module.ts",
       "-O3",
-      "--runtime", "none",
+      "--runtime", "stub",
       "--binaryFile", "module.wasm",
       "--textFile", "module.wat",
       "--sourceMap"
diff --git a/sdk/package.json b/sdk/package.json
index 25bdf5d..7f95c92 100644
--- a/sdk/package.json
+++ b/sdk/package.json
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "http-server . -o -c-1"
-  },
-  "devDependencies": {
-    "http-server": "^0.12.3"
+    "start": "npx serve"
   }
 }
diff --git a/transform/package.json b/transform/package.json
index bd3ebc4..c46dca4 100644
--- a/transform/package.json
+++ b/transform/package.json
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "test:js": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime none --transform ./mytransform.js",
-    "test:ts": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime none --transform ./mytransform.ts",
-    "test:multi": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime none --transform ./mytransform.js --transform ./mytransform.ts",
+    "test:js": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime stub --transform ./mytransform.js",
+    "test:ts": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime stub --transform ./mytransform.ts",
+    "test:multi": "asc assembly/index.ts --runtime stub --transform ./mytransform.js --transform ./mytransform.ts",
     "test": "npm run test:js && npm run test:ts && npm run test:multi"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "assemblyscript": "latest",
-    "ts-node": "^8.10.1",
-    "typescript": "^3.8.3"
+    "ts-node": "^8.10.2",
+    "typescript": "^3.9.7"
   }
 }