By less code I mean less logic. It isn't a hard rule that less code is always better, but generally it is true. Less complexity is usually superior to less verbosity. Less code means less work for the CPU (faster), less surface area for attacks, a smaller codebase that is easier to pick up and work on. When working with sets of numerical data, there are often two or more ways to come up with the desired result. A dumb imperative way, that may involve several loops and stages, or a simple and intelligent way that requires a deeper understanding of the math to implement properly. I've seen pages of slow code reduced to a few simple lines that are performant and easy to grok.