How do I diagnose long link times with Clang for C++?

Long link times in Clang for C++ projects can be frustrating, but several strategies can help diagnose the issue. Below are steps you can take to identify the bottlenecks in your build process.

    // Start by enabling verbose logging for the linker
    clang++ -Wl,--verbose main.cpp -o output
    // Check for large object files
    clang++ -fmodules -fprebuilt-module-path=./module_dir main.cpp
    // Use the -ftime-report to diagnose linking time issues
    clang++ -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -fno-inline-functions \
    -fcoverage-mapping main.cpp -o output
    

By implementing these techniques, you can better understand which parts of the linking process are taking the most time and adjust as necessary. Additionally, consider breaking your code into smaller modules or checking for unnecessary dependencies that could be slowing down the process.