How do I enable link-time optimization (LTO)?

Link-Time Optimization (LTO) is a powerful compiler optimization feature that allows the compiler to optimize code across different compilation units. Enabling LTO can lead to better performance by allowing the compiler to analyze the program as a whole, rather than only looking at individual files in isolation.

Enabling LTO in C++

To enable Link-Time Optimization (LTO), you need to add specific flags when compiling and linking your C++ code. Below is an example using the GCC compiler:


        // Example commands to enable LTO
        g++ -O2 -flto -c file1.cpp
        g++ -O2 -flto -c file2.cpp
        g++ -o my_program file1.o file2.o -flto