Many people who are extolling the virtues of hand optimization seem to be suggesting that you write crappy code and then fix it with "hand optimization." No. Don't write crappy code. Fixing crappy code ≠ optimization, it's repair. Write code that doesn't need to be repaired. Choose appropriate algorithms for solving the problem at hand. If the application you're writing requires speed above all other characteristics, then focus on speed. If it doesn't, your time is better spent focusing on other things. In the vast majority of the code, the vast majority of us write, maintainability and readability are much more important than raw speed.

Source: x.com/allenholub/status/1850719109438402831