Final thoughts on profiling and analysis

One way of thinking about performance optimization is the act of stripping away unnecessary tasks that waste valuable resources. We can do the same and maximize our own productivity by minimizing any wasted effort. Effective use of the tools we have at our disposal is of paramount importance. It would serve us well to optimize our own workflow by remaining aware of some best practices and techniques.

Most, if not all, advice for using any kind of data-gathering tool properly can be summarized into three different strategies:

• Understanding the tool
• Reducing noise
• Focusing on the issue