Software Performance Engineering

Term: Fall 2025
Instructor: Xuhao Chen
Lecture: 8:30-9:50am TR, Anthony Hall room 1281
Office Hours: On-demand
TAs: Sophia Sun

Welcome!

This course provides a hands-on, project-based introduction to building scalable and high-performance software systems. We aim to convey both:

1. First-principles understanding:
   Why do modern computer architectures look the way they do?

2. Hands-on experience:
   How do we write fast code for these platforms in practice?

Why should I learn Software Performance Engineering (SPE)?

Announcements

• Course Info has been released! (Course info)

Site Map

• Calendar – Lecture, lab, and office hour schedule; assignment due dates.

• Labs – Descriptions and instructions for all lab assignments.

• Syllabus – Course policies, topics covered, general course information.

• Resources – Links to notes and external materials relevant to the course.

• Contact – How to get in touch with course staff.

• Piazza – Main hub for student discussion and staff communication.

Acknowledgements

This course was originally designed and developed by Prof. Charles E. Leiserson and the 6.106/6.172 course staff at MIT. We extend our gratitude to the MIT course staff for generously sharing the course materials and for their invaluable support.