Rails meta programming and performance

Question

Rails conventions force framework and gem writers to make extensive use of reflection/meta programming. I've always assumed meta programming to be less efficient, and with the trend of using an ever growing number of gems, the question is - whats the PERFORMANCE impact?

Answer 1

Programmer productivity >> Software Performance (usually)

Really, don't worry about this... in practice correct algorithms, correct architecture, correct database model and so on are much more important than pure language performance...

X effort not spent on fighting the language (java xml hell, c compilation) is effort spent on designing better algorithms, UX which results in better and more user friendlier application