Things Web Devs Can Learn from Game Devs with Casey Muratori
Dec 1, 2023
auto_awesome
Richard talks with Casey Muratori, game engine programmer and creator of the term Immediate Mode GUIs, about performance and programming culture, memory safety's impact on program architecture, and lessons for web development from game development, including improvements to CSS and different approaches to front-end development.
Performance optimization should be a priority in programming to create software that runs efficiently.
Web development can learn from game development in terms of UI layout and the use of off-the-shelf tools.
CSS in web development has challenges and limitations, including difficulty in centering elements and lack of support for complex layouts.
Developers should prioritize understanding the web platform and architecture to achieve performance in web programming.
Memory management mistakes can be avoided by adopting architectural patterns that minimize dynamic memory allocations.
Deep dives
Performance and programming culture
The podcast episode discusses the importance of performance in programming culture. It explores how memory safety relates to program architecture and highlights the lessons web development can learn from game development. The episode also delves into the challenges of CSS and the limitations of current web development tools and standards.
Game development and UI layout
The episode explores how UI layout is approached in game development. It discusses the traditional method of manual layout and the shift towards using off-the-shelf tools and packages to enable designers and artists to create UI components. The episode also mentions popular tools like Adobe Flash, Adobe Animate, Scaleform, and Iggy which have been used in the industry for UI creation.
CSS and the difficulties in web development
The podcast episode highlights the challenges and limitations of CSS in web development. It discusses the difficulty in centering elements and the lack of support for complex layout problems. The episode emphasizes the need for a layout language that is more flexible and capable of handling diverse design requirements.
Performance awareness and the importance of optimization
The episode underscores the importance of performance awareness in programming. It emphasizes the need for developers to prioritize performance optimization and highlights the difference between optimization and awareness. The episode suggests that developers should strive to be aware of the factors that impact performance and make informed decisions to create software that runs efficiently.
Performance and Architecture in Web Programming
The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the capabilities of the web platform and architecture when it comes to performance in web programming. They highlight the complexity and challenges of CSS and how it is often harder to deal with than low-level programming languages like assembly. They discuss the value of avoiding unnecessary dynamic memory allocations in game development and how it can lead to better performance and reliability. The speaker also critiques the approach of using garbage collection as a means to prevent memory management mistakes, suggesting that there are simpler and more effective solutions available.
The Pitfalls of CSS and the Need for Easy Performance Tools
The speaker points out the difficulties and inconsistencies in CSS, stating that it is often harder to understand and manipulate than low-level programming languages like assembly. They suggest that the web programming community should prioritize easy-to-use tools that provide good performance by default. They argue that current trends of focusing on convenience and syntax reduction have led to slow and buggy websites. Additionally, they discuss the importance of creating a culture that values and prioritizes fast software, encouraging programmers to think about performance from the start.
Architectural Mindset and Performance Benefits
The speaker challenges the notion that manual memory management is inherently difficult and error-prone. They argue that it depends on the architectural mindset and approach. By adopting simple architectural patterns that avoid unnecessary dynamic memory allocations and complex lifetimes, they claim that programs can be both faster and more reliable. They point out that many bugs and vulnerabilities stem from memory management mistakes and highlight the need for a better understanding of memory management in the programming community.
The Promise and Limitations of Rust
The speaker explains their skepticism towards Rust, acknowledging its promises of memory safety and performance. However, they question the architectural mindset of Rust, which they believe tries to prevent memory management mistakes but maintains a flawed architectural approach. They argue that embracing low-level primitives and avoiding unnecessary abstractions can lead to better performance and reliability in many cases. They express the need for more substantial improvements and benefits before considering a switch to a new language.
Simplifying Dependency Management and Memory Safety
One of the main benefits of using a language like Rust is the memory safety it provides, which is often emphasized as a key advantage. However, the podcast guest argues that memory safety is not always the most important factor, and that overcomplication is a major source of bugs. The guest suggests that instead of relying on complex solutions like a borrow checker, developers should focus on designing their code in a way that avoids the problems the checker would fix. They believe that many bugs come from unnecessary complexity and self-inflicted complications rather than memory-related issues. Additionally, the guest questions the necessity of using Rust for certain scenarios, pointing out that other languages may provide simpler and equally effective solutions. They suggest that the focus should be on reducing unnecessary layers of complexity and prioritizing simplicity in software development.
The Quest for Simplification and Adoption
The podcast guest expresses a desire for simpler programming languages and platforms that reduce unnecessary layers and complexity. They emphasize that the ultimate goal should be to enable programmers to build high-quality software efficiently without getting overwhelmed by the intricacies of the tools they use. The guest believes that adoption plays a crucial role in the success of new programming languages and platforms, acknowledging the need for promotion and skillful execution to increase awareness and usage. Despite expressing reservations about certain languages like Rust, they appreciate the innovation and effort behind them, understanding that new languages contribute to the advancement and evolution of programming as a whole. The guest remains optimistic about the possibility of creating programming tools and platforms that offer a better and more efficient development experience.
Richard talks with Casey Muratori, a game engine programmer who's known for creating the term Immediate Mode GUIs, for his Twitch series Handmade Hero, and most recently for his excellent Performance Aware Programming course. They talk about performance and the programming culture around it, how memory safety relates to progarm architecture, what Web development can learn from game development, and even some concrete improvements that could be made to, you guessed it...CSS!
