can command line utilities be faster than C++? [closed]

Question

I have a project where I want to manipulate certain output files.

This can be accomplished using a combination of grep and sed and piping with |

Alternatively, I can also write a C++ program to do the same thing.

Is there a conclusive answer on which method will be faster since grep and sed should already be fairly well optimised?

Answer 1

From a technical standpoint, a well-written self-contained C++ program that does everything you need will be faster than using two (or more) shell commands interconnected with a pipe, simply because there will be no IPC overhead, and they can be tailor-made and optimized for your exact needs.

But unless you're writing a program that will be run 24/7 for years, you'll never notice enough gain to be worth the effort.

And the standard rules for pre-optimization apply...

Answer 2

If I were you, use what is already out there as these have likely been around a long time and have been tested and tried. Writing a new program yourself to do the same thing seems like a reinventing the wheel type action and is prone to error.