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A brief note about slot access cost in Common Lisp

This technical blog post examines the performance differences between structure objects and standard objects in Common Lisp, specifically focusing on slot access costs. The author explains how structure objects allow for faster, inlined access due to their fixed memory layout, while standard objects incur overhead from dynamic class updates and stamping mechanisms. The analysis provides valuable insights for Lisp developers making design decisions between these object types.

Background

Common Lisp Object System (CLOS) is a powerful object-oriented programming system that allows for extensive customization through the Metaobject Protocol, though this flexibility can impact performance compared to simpler alternatives like structure objects.

Source
Lobsters
Published
May 27, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Score
5.0 / 10