The Performance Heroes:

• Cached references in Awake()

• SerializeField in Inspector

• GetComponent for local components

• One-time initialization searches

WHEN TO USE WHAT:

• 1. GameObject.Find() & FindObjectOfType()

• One-time setup in Awake()

• Prototyping & quick tests

• Not for regular gameplay updates

• Not for physics or input handling

2. GetComponent<T>()

• Getting sibling components

• Initialization in Awake/Start

• Not for every frame updates

• Not for repeatedly accessing the same component

3. GetComponentInChildren<T>()

• One-time setup of hierarchies

• Prefab initialization

• Not for continuous parent-child communication

• Not for frame-by-frame checks

Pro Tips:

• Cache everything you'll use more than once

• Use [SerializeField] for direct references

• Design hierarchies to minimize searches

• Consider Scriptable Objects for global data

ALL THE COMPONENT COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS:

Direct References

• GetComponent<T>()

• GetComponents<T>()

• GetComponentInChildren<T>()

• GetComponentInParent<T>()

• FindObjectOfType<T>()

• FindObjectsOfType<T>()

Search Methods

• Find()

• FindWithTag()

• FindGameObjectsWithTag()