What is the cost of excessive dynamic dispatch in hot paths?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

Each message send adds cache lookup and branch overhead.

Deep explanation

objc_msgSend involves cache lookup, possible method resolution, and branch to IMP. In tight loops, this overhead becomes significant compared to static calls.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

View pricing

Real-world example

No real-world example available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Common mistakes

No common mistakes listed yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

Follow-up questions

No follow-up questions available yet.

Unlock with a Pro subscription to view this section.

Upgrade to Pro

More Objective-C interview questions

View all →