I don't like code that generates stuff at compile time precisely for this reason - I would much rather use some template language to pre-generate the source (I've even seen php used) and then compile it quickly. Of course that then needs support from the build system to correctly invoke the generator when the templates change and you run the risk of some developer changing the generated source instead of the template and wreaking havoc. I would very much like to have my cake and eat it - powerful code generation facilities in the language itself, but with a compiler that's as smart as the build system and can cache these for reuse when recompiling the same file. That would also allow easy integration with IDEs. For now, I've decided that the better balance is generating code using an external generator, checking everything in source control and requiring responsible people to do code review. YMMV of course, depending on what you're compiling and who you're working with.