3 ms·

Historically, the main reason why dynamic linking is even a thing is because RAM was too limited to run "heavy" software like, say, an X server. This hasn't be

• wakawaka28 2y ago
  RAM is still a limited resource. Bloated memory footprints hurt performance even if you technically have the RAM. The disk, bandwidth, and package builder CPU usage involved to statically link everything alone is enough reason not to do it, if possible.
• LtWorf 2y ago
  This is still true. Static linking works fine because 99% of what you run is dynamically linked. Try to statically link your distribution entirely and see how the ram usage and speed will degrade :)
  • pjmlp 2y ago
    Or using OS IPC processes for every single plugin on something heavy like a DAW.
  • dralley 2y ago
    But there's a pretty significant diminishing return between, say, the top 80 most linked libraries and the rest.
• pjmlp 2y ago
  Other OSes got dynamic linking before it became mainstream on UNIX. Plugins and OS extensions were also a reason why they came to be.