Code Quote by Richard E. Pattis
“Code should run as fast as necessary, but no faster; something important is always traded away to increase speed.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Computer Science: A Structured Approach, 1985
Speed improvements often sacrifice other important qualities such as correctness, readability, or maintainability.
In simple terms: Fast code can cost other values.
Key Takeaway
Balance speed with other priorities.
Themes
performance
trade-offs
software engineering
Mood
pragmatic
cautious
Type
technical
advisory
When to use this quote
- real‑time systems
- high‑frequency trading
- embedded devices
- large‑scale data processing
Key Concepts
algorithmic efficiency
software quality
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects are you willing to compromise for speed?
- How can you measure the true cost of faster code?
A Different Perspective
Pursuing speed alone may cause bugs or technical debt.
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