Do you never find yourself interested in the results of a code change you have just made?
That's what async CI/CD unit and integration testing are for.
Also, it depends on the platform. Go doesn't have this problem. Rust does, to a degree. Interpreted languages make a linker moot.
The primary use case for mold is giant projects with massive executables. It's not a general-purpose linker, it can't improve inefficient workflows lacking automation, and it can't improve the multitasking of developer time for people who insist on waiting around instead of doing something else useful.
Ok, so what’s the point of contention here? Large projects from large companies with lots of money stand to benefit from mold.
It does.
In incremental builds, most of the time are spent in linking, not building.