Definitionv1DF-593
Premature optimization
the practice of optimizing a system or component before measuring and identifying the actual bottleneck, resulting in wasted effort applied to non-constraining elements rather than the true constraint that determines system performance
Why This Is a Definition
This definition precisely establishes 'premature optimization' by naming the term, categorizing it as a practice, and distinguishing it through its differentia (optimizing before measuring/identifying bottleneck) while explaining the consequence (wasted effort on non-constraining elements) and the root cause (not optimizing the actual constraint).