# Reflections on software performance

DevFeed: [Reflections on software performance](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/reflections-on-software-performance-21961.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.nelhage.com/post/reflections-on-performance/>)

Author: Nelson Elhage

Published: 2020-02-03T01:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Nelson Elhage](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nelson-elhage.md>)

Topics: [Software](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/coding.md>)

Tags: [blog](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [reflections](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reflections.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>)

## AI overview

A reflection on lessons learned from building and using performant software. The article argues that performance is a feature that affects how software is perceived and used, and that making tools faster enables users to pursue tasks more frequently and in new ways.

## Source excerpt

At this point in my career, I've worked on at least three projects where performance was a defining characteristic: Livegrep, Taktician, and Sorbet (I discussed sorbet in particular last time, and livegrep in an earlier post). I've also done a lot of other performance work on the tools I use, some of which ended up on my other blog, Accidentally Quadratic. In this post, I want to reflect on some of the lessons I've learned while writing performant software, and working with rather a lot more not-so-performant software.