{"slug": "ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage", "title": "Ask HN: Will programmers write more efficient code during the memory shortage?", "summary": "A Hacker News user asks whether programmers will write more efficient code during a memory shortage, sparking debate about trends in software efficiency. Commenters express skepticism, noting that abundance rather than scarcity drives development, though some report switching to more memory-efficient languages like Go.", "body_md": "Hacker News\nnew\n|\npast\n|\ncomments\n|\nask\n|\nshow\n|\njobs\n|\nsubmit\nlogin\nAsk HN: Will programmers write more efficient code during the memory shortage?\n7 points\nby\namichail\n13 minutes ago\n|\nhide\n|\npast\n|\nfavorite\n|\n9 comments\nMaybe there will even be more interest in the invention and use of more advanced algorithms and data structures that use less memory?\nhelp\nnovafunc\n0 minutes ago\n|\nnext\n[–]\nI don't see the trend reversing, but if we're lucky, perhaps a freeze. Won't get more efficient but may not get worse.\nreply\njohanvts\n0 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n|\nnext\n[–]\nOnly if people start buying computers with less memory, if they just buy fewer computers it doesn’t seem worhwhile.\nreply\nwinstonwinston\n2 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n|\nnext\n[–]\nUnless users complain it’s not going to happen. Somehow SPA (Single-page application) consume memory as much as operating system.\nreply\nsneilan1\n6 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n|\nnext\n[–]\nI've dumped python for anything that doesn't involve scipy / pytorch in favor of go. So yes, I'm having my llm's output go now which is generally more memory efficient than python.\nreply\nUptrenda\n4 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n|\nnext\n[–]\nLad, modern day \"programmers\" don't even know what memory is. You'll be lucky to find any \"software engineer\" who can even tell you what a pointer is.\nreply\ndevin\n3 minutes ago\n|\nparent\n|\nnext\n[–]\nI can refer you to some documentation on the topic. ;)\nreply\ntristanj\n7 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n|\nnext\n[–]\nProgrammers won't, but LLMs will.\nreply\nkrapp\n0 minutes ago\n|\nparent\n|\nnext\n[–]\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n5E7feJHw0\nreply\nwseqyrku\n3 minutes ago\n|\nprev\n[–]\nI don't think at this point in history limitations drive the the way we do things, abundance does.\nreply\nGuidelines\n|\nFAQ\n|\nLists\n|\nAPI\n|\nSecurity\n|\nLegal\n|\nApply to YC\n|\nContact\nSearch:", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage", "canonical_source": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48604232", "published_at": "2026-06-19 22:51:09+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-19 23:06:32.257252+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["developer-tools"], "entities": ["Hacker News", "Python", "Go", "PyTorch", "SciPy"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ask-hn-will-programmers-write-more-efficient-code-during-the-memory-shortage.jsonld"}}