Why GADTs matter for performance (2015)
a year ago
- #Performance
- #OCaml
- #GADTs
- GADTs (Generalized Algebraic Data Types) in OCaml were initially thought to be irrelevant for systems programming but proved useful for performance optimization.
- GADTs allow tweaking memory representations in ways that would otherwise be unsafe or difficult in OCaml.
- OCaml's polymorphism relies on uniform memory representation, which can lead to inefficient space usage for some datatypes.
- Attempting to create a compact array type without GADTs results in limited functionality or inefficient memory usage.
- Using GADTs, it's possible to create a compact array type that efficiently handles both general arrays and byte arrays.
- GADTs enable precise control over memory representation, which is crucial for high-performance applications.