We can do better than line-buffered output

Line buffering in terminal output creates performance bottlenecks, particularly in applications that print frequently, such as file extraction utilities. The author demonstrates that programs can deliver output to terminals at full-buffer speeds while still promptly flushing lines by implementing a buffering strategy that checks for newlines and flushes accordingly, eliminating the need to choose between responsiveness and performance. This approach allows developers to maintain user-friendly output without sacrificing speed.