C and C++ Preprocessing Optimization

3/28/2014

This post introduces and open-sources 'warp', a new C and C++ preprocessor developed to address build time bottlenecks in large codebases. It details how replacing the default preprocessor with 'warp' resulted in significant end-to-end build speed improvements (10-40%) by optimizing preprocessing, particularly in handling `#include` directives and include guards. The post also discusses the design philosophy behind 'warp', emphasizing a componentized, range-based algorithmic style and the critical role of profiling and compiler optimizations in achieving high performance.

2/24/2014

This post introduces 'flint', a new token-oriented C++ linter developed in the D language. It details the rationale for building a custom linter (performance, C++11 support, organizational ethos), the token-oriented design, the translation from C++ to D highlighting D's compile-time introspection and code generation capabilities, and the performance benefits observed. It also lists and describes 19 specific lint checks implemented in flint.

3/15/2013

This post provides three C++ optimization tips: 1. Strength Reduction: Replacing expensive operations (like division) with cheaper ones (like bit shifts or comparisons) and reformulating algorithms to use comparisons over divisions. 2. Minimize Array Writes: Reducing writes to memory through pointers, as they are more costly than register operations due to cache line granularity. An example shows an optimized integer-to-string conversion that avoids in-place reversal. 3. One Last Pass: Further optimizing integer-to-string conversion by using a lookup table for pairs of digits and a more efficient search for the number of digits, leading to significant performance improvements.