Operating Systems Are Leaving Massive Optimizations on the Table Because Compilers, Build Systems, and Package Managers Don't Talk
Communication Between the Compiler, the Build System, and Beyond
Compilers, build systems, and package managers each hold valuable dependency and resource information, but they rarely share it. The author traces how this missed communication blocks whole-program optimization, incremental compilation, and even atomic system upgrades. Examples range from a simple C multiplication to cross-package LTO and declarative system reconfiguration, showing how integrated tooling could save disk space, speed development, and make system management transparent.
The problem is that Operating Systems miss out on useful optimization potential of many kinds because useful dependency and resource information provided by compilers, build systems, and package managers is not shared with one other or with other parts of the system.