Now, before you start rolling your eyes and thinking oh great, another boring article on optimization techniques, let me assure you that this one is different.

First off, lets talk about why we need to optimize GCC in the first place. Well, for starters, it’s not exactly known for being the fastest compiler out there. In fact, some people might even say that it’s slower than a snail with a broken shell. No worries, though, my friend! With just a few simple tweaks and tricks, we can turn this slowpoke into a speed demon in no time flat.

Step 1: Disable all unnecessary optimizations

Wait, what? You heard me right disabling optimizations is actually the first step to making your code run faster! Why you ask? Well, it’s simple really. By turning off things like loop unrolling and constant folding, we can force GCC to generate more efficient machine code that doesn’t waste any cycles on unnecessary calculations or branches.

To do this, simply add the following flag to your compile command: `-O0` (yes, you read that right zero). This will disable all optimizations and give us a clean slate to work with.

Step 2: Enable inline functions

Now that we’ve disabled all unnecessary optimizations, it’s time to enable some of the more useful ones. One such optimization is inline function expansion. By telling GCC to expand small functions directly into their calling code, we can eliminate the overhead associated with function calls and improve overall performance.

To do this, simply add the following flag to your compile command: `-finline-functions` (yes, you read that right again). This will enable inline function expansion for all functions in your codebase.

Step 3: Use the right optimization level

Okay, so we’ve disabled unnecessary optimizations and enabled inline function expansion. But what about those ***** optimization levels? Which one should we use to get the best performance out of GCC? Well, that depends on a number of factors including your hardware configuration, your codebase, and your personal preferences.

For most people, I would recommend using `-O2` as your default optimization level. This will provide a good balance between speed and size, without sacrificing too much in terms of readability or maintainability. However, if you’re working on a critical application that requires maximum performance at all costs, you might want to consider using `-Os` instead (which is specifically designed for optimizing code size).

Step 4: Use the right compiler flags

Finally, some of the more advanced optimization techniques that can help improve your code’s performance even further. For example, you might want to consider using `-march=native` (which will automatically select the best possible instruction set for your hardware), or `-ffast-math` (which will enable a number of optimizations specifically designed for numerical calculations).

Of course, there are many other flags and options available in GCC some of which can be quite complex and difficult to understand. With a little bit of experimentation and trial and error, you should be able to find the right combination of settings that works best for your specific needs.