Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
cppcon.org
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Cutting C++ Exception Time by +90%? - Khalil Estell - CppCon 2025
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Have you ever been "nerd sniped"? When I realized that exceptions are capable of reducing binaries sizes, it felt like the only thing standing in the way of its adoption was its performance concerns. I couldn't let it go. I wanted to see how far the algorithm could be pushed. In 2024, I set out to just that: making C++ exceptions blazingly fast for embedded platforms. A year later, I've achieved a +90% performance improvement for ARM microcontrollers.
This talk takes you behind the scenes of this journey. I'll share the complete roadmap—from initial benchmarking to optimization—revealing techniques applicable to any performance-critical C++ system. But this isn't just a technical story; it's a testament to the power of community collaboration and how the C++ community summoned this talk. Even if you've sworn off exceptions forever, this talk still delivers value. It's a course in performance optimization which applies across the entire C++ ecosystem.
Join me for a deep dive into what happens when obsession meets optimization—and discover just how fast C++ can really be. Whether you're writing embedded firmware, high-frequency trading systems, a game, or a web server in C++ you'll walk away with techniques to dramatically improve your code.
You'll discover:
- Building precise measurement frameworks for cpu cycle improvements
- Navigating and modernizing a 25-year-old codebase
- Demystifying and eliminating the actual sources of non-determinism
- Leveraging community expertise to shape product requirements
- Using data-oriented design to convert O(log(n)) operations to O(1)
- Working within fixed ABI constraints without compromising performance
- Exploring the future landscape of C++ exception handling
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Slides: github.com/CppCon/CppCon2025/blob/main/Presentations/Cutting_C++_Exception_time_by_93.4_percent_.pdf
Work at Hudson River Trading (HRT): tinyurl.com/safxfctf
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Khalil Estell
Khalil is a ISO C++ Committee Member and has extensive experience writing production firmware.
---
CppCon is the annual, week-long face-to-face gathering for the entire C++ community. The conference is organized by the C++ community for the community. You will enjoy inspirational talks and a friendly atmosphere designed to help attendees learn from each other, meet interesting people, and generally have a stimulating experience. Taking place this year in Aurora, Colorado, near the Denver airport, and including multiple diverse tracks, the conference will appeal to anyone from C++ novices to experts.
Annual CppCon Conference - cppcon.org
linkedin.com/company/cppcon
https://x.com/cppcon
facebook.com/CppConference
reddit.com/r/cppcon
https://mastodon.social/@CppCon
---
Videos Filmed & Edited by Bash Films: BashFilms.com
YouTube Channel Managed by Digital Medium Ltd: events.digital-medium.co.uk
---
#cpp #cplusplus #programming #softwareengineering #coding
cppcon.org
---
Cutting C++ Exception Time by +90%? - Khalil Estell - CppCon 2025
---
Have you ever been "nerd sniped"? When I realized that exceptions are capable of reducing binaries sizes, it felt like the only thing standing in the way of its adoption was its performance concerns. I couldn't let it go. I wanted to see how far the algorithm could be pushed. In 2024, I set out to just that: making C++ exceptions blazingly fast for embedded platforms. A year later, I've achieved a +90% performance improvement for ARM microcontrollers.
This talk takes you behind the scenes of this journey. I'll share the complete roadmap—from initial benchmarking to optimization—revealing techniques applicable to any performance-critical C++ system. But this isn't just a technical story; it's a testament to the power of community collaboration and how the C++ community summoned this talk. Even if you've sworn off exceptions forever, this talk still delivers value. It's a course in performance optimization which applies across the entire C++ ecosystem.
Join me for a deep dive into what happens when obsession meets optimization—and discover just how fast C++ can really be. Whether you're writing embedded firmware, high-frequency trading systems, a game, or a web server in C++ you'll walk away with techniques to dramatically improve your code.
You'll discover:
- Building precise measurement frameworks for cpu cycle improvements
- Navigating and modernizing a 25-year-old codebase
- Demystifying and eliminating the actual sources of non-determinism
- Leveraging community expertise to shape product requirements
- Using data-oriented design to convert O(log(n)) operations to O(1)
- Working within fixed ABI constraints without compromising performance
- Exploring the future landscape of C++ exception handling
---
Slides: github.com/CppCon/CppCon2025/blob/main/Presentations/Cutting_C++_Exception_time_by_93.4_percent_.pdf
Work at Hudson River Trading (HRT): tinyurl.com/safxfctf
---
Khalil Estell
Khalil is a ISO C++ Committee Member and has extensive experience writing production firmware.
---
CppCon is the annual, week-long face-to-face gathering for the entire C++ community. The conference is organized by the C++ community for the community. You will enjoy inspirational talks and a friendly atmosphere designed to help attendees learn from each other, meet interesting people, and generally have a stimulating experience. Taking place this year in Aurora, Colorado, near the Denver airport, and including multiple diverse tracks, the conference will appeal to anyone from C++ novices to experts.
Annual CppCon Conference - cppcon.org
linkedin.com/company/cppcon
https://x.com/cppcon
facebook.com/CppConference
reddit.com/r/cppcon
https://mastodon.social/@CppCon
---
Videos Filmed & Edited by Bash Films: BashFilms.com
YouTube Channel Managed by Digital Medium Ltd: events.digital-medium.co.uk
---
#cpp #cplusplus #programming #softwareengineering #coding
