Yep, it is easier to update the compiler than doing manual clever tricks, specially if the compiler happens to be an AOT/JIT with PGO feedback loop.
Most people aren't able to outsmart their compiler optimizers.
Most people aren't able to outsmart their compiler optimizers.
Speaking of which, better catch up on the C++ interpreters and JIT related talks from CppCon 2019.
The tone of my previous remark is that optimization algorithms are orthogonal to programming languages, an language agnostic backend optimizer working on AST and SSA passes doesn't care what the input language was all about.
One reason mainframes still use bytecode as executable format is that it allows for AOT compiling the world after and OS or hardware upgrade.
And there are solutions for doing that to plain native opcodes as well.
Finally there is the whole issue that many micro-opmizations, while fun to implement, seldom contribute for visible optimizations of the business case at hand.