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copied!<p>I have not coded in assembly language for many years, but I can give several reasons that I frequently saw:</p> <ul> <li><p>Not all compilers can make use of certain CPU optimizations and instruction set (e.g., the new instruction sets that Intel adds once in a while). Waiting for compiler writers to catch up means losing a competitive advantage. </p></li> <li><p>Easier to match actual code to known CPU architecture and optimization. For example, things you know about the fetching mechanism, caching, etc. This is supposed to be transparent to the developer, but the fact is that it is not, that's why compiler writers can optimize.</p></li> <li><p>Certain hardware level accesses are only possible/practical via assembly language (e.g., when writing device driver).</p></li> <li><p>Formal reasoning is sometimes actually easier for the assembly language than for the high-level language since you already know what the final or almost final layout of the code is. </p></li> <li><p>Programming certain 3D graphic cards (circa late 1990s) in the absence of APIs was often more practical and efficient in assembly language, and sometimes not possible in other languages. But again, this involved really expert-level games based on the accelerator architecture like manually moving data in and out in certain order.</p></li> </ul> <p>I doubt many people use assembly language when a higher-level language would do, especially when that language is C. Hand-optimizing large amounts of general-purpose code is impractical. </p>

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