Linker I/O tricks and their downsides

· · Sept. 21, 2026, 3:41 a.m.
Summary
This post discusses advanced linker techniques introduced by mold and wild that optimize build time by overwriting existing output files and forking processes. While these tricks enhance efficiency by saving time in the edit-relink loop, they also disrupt key assumptions held by build systems and debugging tools, which could lead to unexpected behavior. The author shares performance metrics and personal experimentation under specific conditions.
AUTHOR