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How often does branchless programming actually matter? (programming.dev)

submitted 1 year ago by firelizzard@programming.dev to c/programming@programming.dev

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I've started noticing articles and YouTube videos touting the benefits of branchless programming, making it sound like this is a hot new technique (or maybe a hot old technique) that everyone should be using. But it seems like it's only really applicable to data processing applications (as opposed to general programming) and there are very few times in my career where I've needed to use, much less optimize, data processing code. And when I do, I use someone else's library.

How often does branchless programming actually matter in the day to day life of an average developer?

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[–] Eufalconimorph@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Necessary for cryptographic code, where data-dependent branches can create a side-channel which leaks the data.

[–] firelizzard@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago

I thought it might be helpful for optimizing cryptographic code, but it hadn't occurred to me that it would prevent side channel leaks