Re: Optimising Elisp code

[Óscar Fuentes]

Emanuel Berg <moasen@zoho.com> writes:

> OK, in C++ it works like this:
>
> If a member function is defined within the
> class definition (not recommended), or if it is
> defined outside of it (recommended) with the
> word "inline" preceding the return type, then
> the function becomes an inline function.
>
> What this means is that when the code is
> compiled into machine code, instead of having
> one place for the function, and jumping back
> and forth every time that function is called,
> the machine code for the inline function is
> placed, duplicated wherever it is used.
>
> So you get longer machine code, but faster,
> since there is just constant execution for the
> inline functions, without jumping back
> and forth.
>
> When should it be used? If the function is very
> short, say 1-3 lines, the jumping back and
> forth requires more machine instructions than
> the function itself. Then the organizational
> gain of having it neatly at one place is
> diminished by the speed advantage of not having
> to jump back and forth to that place all
> the time.

Just in case any bystander finds this post: don't rely on anything that is
mentioned above, nor for C++ `inline' keyword nor for code inlining in
general.