Thanks! Is there a way to compile all installed packages into the sysimage? If so, why isn't that the default?

Technically yes, but then IIRC you’d have to recompile the whole sysimg any time you update any single package, which could get to be a pain. The usual compromise seems to be to include just a handful of your most used packages in the sysimg (say Plots + Revise)

> you’d have to recompile the whole sysimg any time you update any single package

Are there any downsides to this? You never care how long does a system update take. You always care how long do your programs run.

The downside is that PackageCompiler (or SnoopCompile, for that matter) can only pack into the sysimage what it sees. This is usually done by "recording" which methods get called during a session and putting the compiled native code for those into the sysimage. If it's not called during setup, you'll still have dynamic compilation (as for any code that hasn't ever run).

I’ve never tried it myself, but can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t work in principle if you do want to go that route