Does module size matter under mod_perl?

Assuming you have sufficient memory to stay out of swap, no, module size doesn't have any direct relationship with performance.

There are typically two performance considerations with languages such as Perl. Upon startup, Perl code is compiled to bytecode and then interpreted and executed. Loosely speaking there is a compiletime stage, and a runtime stage. The first consideration is compile time. This can be an issue for applications that start up frequently such as plain old CGI. And for such applications, minimizing start-up time by sticking to lightweight, concise modules has some benefit. But it is not relevant to a mod_perl application because start-up happens only once in awhile.

The other performance consideration is runtime performance. There is no direct correlation between a module's size and its runtime performance.

So go ahead and re-factor if it makes sense to do so for some other reason such as project scalability, simplification of maintenance, or improved modularity / code-reuse. Just don't expect for it to have any effect on runtime efficiency, unless algorithms are improved in the process.


Dave

In reply to Re: Does module size matter under mod_perl? by davido
in thread Does module size matter under mod_perl? by Anonymous Monk

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