> It is objectively easier for your brain to parse a single arrow symbol than it is to parse => in a monospace font. For the latter, you are scanning two symbo

> It is objectively easier for your brain to parse a single arrow symbol than it is to parse => in a monospace font. For the latter, you are scanning two symbols and only after seeing them both can your brain put them together into a semantic meaning. Brain is really good in parallel processing of letters/symbols as units. I very much doubt that it's "objectively better". See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/develop/word-recognition https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/develop/word-rec... for overview of the research in this area. For me the problem with ligatures is not so much of recognizing them but reproducing. I know that for arrow ligature I have to have = and >, but there may be ligatures that I might not be sure of how they're formed. Also, when reading the same code in different environment where the same font is not available I get different visual output where not only is the base shape of the letters different but code units as well. For example three lined equals ligature that some fonts produce. I really hate it.