RE: [xsl] performance with XSLT

["Michael Kay" <michael dot h dot kay at ntlworld dot com>]

> Can some one give me an idea about performance issues
> with XSLT? what are the best practices to achieve the
> good performance.

The best practices are the same as with any other technology:

- define your performance requirements
- prototype to assess the risk
- allow enough time on the project to acquire the skills
- make measurements at every stage of development
- don't optimize your code unless it works
- don't optimize your code unless it gives measurable benefits

Most of the advice for XSLT is also fairly obvious:

- cache compiled stylesheets rather than compiling them each time
- keep your source documents small
- don't do the same transformation more than once, save the results instead
- don't transform anything unless someone is going to use the result
- remember that XSLT is not the only tool in your kitbag

At the coding level:

- think carefully about anything that deviates from a serial pass through
the data
- use keys where direct access to nodes is needed (often suggested by "//")

Mike Kay


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