Quadrupling code performance with a "useless" if
Summary
The article analyzes micro-optimizations for a domain-specific compressor, focusing on how to convert a latency-bound loop into a throughput-bound one using a conditional branch. It provides concrete C code examples, discusses compiler behavior and a volatile cast workaround, and reports surprising performance gains. It offers practical insights into low-level optimization and its real-world impact, with notable caveats about portability.