Pure Virtual C++ 2026 is almost here: a free, one-day virtual conference for the wholeC++ community, streaming Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM PT on YouTube (MicrosoftReactor) and Twitch, with on-demand recordings on the Visual Studio YouTube channelafterward. Register now →This is the first post in our three-part Meet the Speakers series. Over the next weekwe'll introduce you to the people behind this year's featured sessions and the problemsthey're helping you solve. The theme of today's post is one that every C++ developer feels intheir bones: building faster, running faster.Why this theme mattersSlow builds and heavyweight binaries are a tax every C++ team pays, every single day. Thetwo sessions below address that tax from different angles: one by modernizing how yourcode is compiled with C++20 modules, the other by putting an AI agent to work finding andfixing the real bottlenecks in your build. If you've ever watched a progress bar insteadof writing code, these talks are for you.Ryan Shepherd: C++/WinRT: Build faster and smaller with C++20 modulesRyan is a Senior Software Engineer on Windows, where he works on developer fundamentals:WinRT, C++/WinRT, the SDKs, and the CRT. Away from the keyboard he's a freelancetrombonist who also dabbles in composition, photography, baking, and camping with his wifeand two dogs.Follow Ryan: GitHub @DefaultRyanWhat the session is about. C++/WinRT recently gained support for C++20 modules, andthe payoff is real: the Windows Terminal team adopted it and cut their build time byroughly 15% while shedding tens of gigabytes of build-time diskusage. Ryan walks through how that support works and what it takes to adopt modules in yourown C++/WinRT code.What you'll learn How modules change the compilation model and why that translates into faster builds andsmaller build footprints. The concrete before/after story from Windows Terminal's adoption. What you need to get started: C++/WinRT 3.0 or later and MSVC Build Tools 14.50 or later.Why C++ developers should attend. Modules are one of the highest-leverage modernizationsteps available today, but adoption still feels uncertain to many teams. Ryan turns it intoa practical, evidence-backed decision with numbers you can take back to your own project.Learn ahead Recommended starting point: Overview of modules in C++ : Microsoft Learn Also worth exploring: Modules - cppreference Compare header units, modules, and precompiled headers - Microsoft Learn C++/WinRT documentation - Microsoft Learn Windows Terminal on GitHubDavid Li: Cut Your Build Times Without Becoming a Build ExpertDavid is the Game Developer Product Manager for Visual Studio, with 14 years in the softwareindustry and a genuine passion for developer productivity. A gamer himself, he spends hisoff-hours with his baby and dog and conquering the world in Europa Universalis V.Follow David: X @thecpppmWhat the session is about. This session shows how GitHub Copilot build performance forWindows tackles slow C++ builds while keeping you in the driver's seat. You'll see the fullagentic loop: capture a build trace, surface the real hotspots (expensive headers, heavytemplate instantiations), apply targeted fixes, and verify each one with before-and-afternumbers. For iterative cases, Copilot keeps the changes that help and rolls back anything thatregresses, including honest tradeoffs like a slightly slower clean build in exchange for muchfaster incremental build. You end up with results you can trust and understand.What you'll learn How to find and fix real build bottlenecks in minutes instead of days. How every change is measured and kept. How you stay in control: Copilot does the heavy lifting, but you make the calls on what to keep.Why C++ developers should attend. Build performance work has traditionally requireddedicated build systems expertise and deep tooling knowledge. This session puts that expertise withinreach: Copilot does the heavy analysis from a simple prompt while you stay in control of every change.Learn ahead Recommended starting point: Now in Public Preview: GitHub Copilot build performance for Windows : C++ Team Blog Also worth exploring: Project-Specific Build Optimizations with GitHub Copilot - C++ Team Blog C++ Build Insights - Microsoft Learn vcperf build-analysis tool on GitHubRegister todayBoth talks are featured sessions at Pure Virtual C++ 2026.Register for free →Next up in the series: The AI-Native C++ Developer Workflow, where we meet Sinem Akinciand Augustin Popa and dig into Copilot across the CLI and Visual Studio. Can't make it live?Every session will be available on-demand on the Visual Studio YouTube channel after the event.See you there!