diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d762436b..7cfb312a 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ categories = ["caching", "database-implementations"]
 
 [profile.release]
 overflow-checks = true
+lto = "thin"
+codegen-units = 1
+strip = "symbols"
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
 # async runtime
diff --git a/crates/ember-persistence/src/aof.rs b/crates/ember-persistence/src/aof.rs
index d25cb9fd..6b11914f 100644
--- a/crates/ember-persistence/src/aof.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-persistence/src/aof.rs
@@ -190,9 +190,106 @@ pub enum AofRecord {
 }
 
 impl AofRecord {
+    /// Estimates the serialized size of this record in bytes.
+    ///
+    /// Used as a capacity hint for `to_bytes()` to avoid intermediate
+    /// reallocations. The estimate includes the tag byte plus all
+    /// length-prefixed fields, erring slightly high to avoid growing.
+    fn estimated_size(&self) -> usize {
+        // overhead per length-prefixed field: 4 bytes for the u32 length
+        const LEN_PREFIX: usize = 4;
+
+        match self {
+            AofRecord::Set {
+                key,
+                value,
+                expire_ms: _,
+            } => 1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + value.len() + 8,
+            AofRecord::Del { key }
+            | AofRecord::LPop { key }
+            | AofRecord::RPop { key }
+            | AofRecord::Persist { key }
+            | AofRecord::Incr { key }
+            | AofRecord::Decr { key } => 1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len(),
+            AofRecord::Expire { key, .. } | AofRecord::Pexpire { key, .. } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 8
+            }
+            AofRecord::LPush { key, values } | AofRecord::RPush { key, values } => {
+                let values_size: usize = values.iter().map(|v| LEN_PREFIX + v.len()).sum();
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 4 + values_size
+            }
+            AofRecord::ZAdd { key, members } => {
+                let members_size: usize =
+                    members.iter().map(|(_, m)| 8 + LEN_PREFIX + m.len()).sum();
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 4 + members_size
+            }
+            AofRecord::ZRem { key, members }
+            | AofRecord::SAdd { key, members }
+            | AofRecord::SRem { key, members } => {
+                let members_size: usize = members.iter().map(|m| LEN_PREFIX + m.len()).sum();
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 4 + members_size
+            }
+            AofRecord::HSet { key, fields } => {
+                let fields_size: usize = fields
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|(f, v)| LEN_PREFIX + f.len() + LEN_PREFIX + v.len())
+                    .sum();
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 4 + fields_size
+            }
+            AofRecord::HDel { key, fields } => {
+                let fields_size: usize = fields.iter().map(|f| LEN_PREFIX + f.len()).sum();
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 4 + fields_size
+            }
+            AofRecord::HIncrBy { key, field, .. } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + field.len() + 8
+            }
+            AofRecord::IncrBy { key, .. } | AofRecord::DecrBy { key, .. } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + 8
+            }
+            AofRecord::Append { key, value } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + value.len()
+            }
+            AofRecord::Rename { key, newkey } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + newkey.len()
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "vector")]
+            AofRecord::VAdd {
+                key,
+                element,
+                vector,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + element.len() + 4 + vector.len() * 4 + 10
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "vector")]
+            AofRecord::VRem { key, element } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + key.len() + LEN_PREFIX + element.len()
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "protobuf")]
+            AofRecord::ProtoSet {
+                key,
+                type_name,
+                data,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX
+                    + key.len()
+                    + LEN_PREFIX
+                    + type_name.len()
+                    + LEN_PREFIX
+                    + data.len()
+                    + 8
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "protobuf")]
+            AofRecord::ProtoRegister { name, descriptor } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + name.len() + LEN_PREFIX + descriptor.len()
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Serializes this record into a byte vector (tag + payload, no CRC).
     fn to_bytes(&self) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
-        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        let mut buf = Vec::with_capacity(self.estimated_size());
         match self {
             AofRecord::Set {
                 key,
diff --git a/crates/ember-persistence/src/snapshot.rs b/crates/ember-persistence/src/snapshot.rs
index 30b88ecf..f606656e 100644
--- a/crates/ember-persistence/src/snapshot.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-persistence/src/snapshot.rs
@@ -179,6 +179,52 @@ pub struct SnapEntry {
     pub expire_ms: i64,
 }
 
+impl SnapEntry {
+    /// Estimates the serialized byte size for buffer pre-allocation.
+    fn estimated_size(&self) -> usize {
+        const LEN_PREFIX: usize = 4;
+
+        let key_size = LEN_PREFIX + self.key.len();
+        let value_size = match &self.value {
+            SnapValue::String(data) => 1 + LEN_PREFIX + data.len(),
+            SnapValue::List(deque) => {
+                let items: usize = deque.iter().map(|v| LEN_PREFIX + v.len()).sum();
+                1 + 4 + items
+            }
+            SnapValue::SortedSet(members) => {
+                let items: usize = members.iter().map(|(_, m)| 8 + LEN_PREFIX + m.len()).sum();
+                1 + 4 + items
+            }
+            SnapValue::Hash(map) => {
+                let items: usize = map
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|(f, v)| LEN_PREFIX + f.len() + LEN_PREFIX + v.len())
+                    .sum();
+                1 + 4 + items
+            }
+            SnapValue::Set(set) => {
+                let items: usize = set.iter().map(|m| LEN_PREFIX + m.len()).sum();
+                1 + 4 + items
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "vector")]
+            SnapValue::Vector { dim, elements, .. } => {
+                let items: usize = elements
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|(name, _)| LEN_PREFIX + name.len() + (*dim as usize) * 4)
+                    .sum();
+                // tag + metric + quant + connectivity + expansion + dim + count + items
+                1 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + items
+            }
+            #[cfg(feature = "protobuf")]
+            SnapValue::Proto { type_name, data } => {
+                1 + LEN_PREFIX + type_name.len() + LEN_PREFIX + data.len()
+            }
+        };
+        // key + value + expire_ms (i64 = 8 bytes)
+        key_size + value_size + 8
+    }
+}
+
 /// Writes a complete snapshot to disk.
 ///
 /// Entries are written to a temporary file first, then atomically
@@ -271,7 +317,7 @@ impl SnapshotWriter {
     /// When encrypted, each entry is written as `[nonce: 12B][len: 4B][ciphertext]`.
     /// The footer CRC covers the encrypted bytes (nonce + len + ciphertext).
     pub fn write_entry(&mut self, entry: &SnapEntry) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
-        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        let mut buf = Vec::with_capacity(entry.estimated_size());
         format::write_bytes(&mut buf, entry.key.as_bytes())?;
         match &entry.value {
             SnapValue::String(data) => {
diff --git a/crates/ember-protocol/src/lib.rs b/crates/ember-protocol/src/lib.rs
index 01fbb2de..bb33c194 100644
--- a/crates/ember-protocol/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-protocol/src/lib.rs
@@ -29,4 +29,5 @@ pub mod types;
 pub use command::{Command, SetExpire, ZAddFlags};
 pub use error::ProtocolError;
 pub use parse::parse_frame;
+pub use types::wire;
 pub use types::Frame;
diff --git a/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs b/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
index 1f68cc54..ad687d65 100644
--- a/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
@@ -14,23 +14,35 @@ impl Frame {
     ///
     /// Writes the full RESP3 wire representation, including type prefix
     /// and trailing `\r\n` delimiters.
+    #[inline]
     pub fn serialize(&self, dst: &mut BytesMut) {
+        use crate::types::wire;
+
         match self {
-            Frame::Simple(s) => {
-                dst.put_u8(b'+');
-                dst.put_slice(s.as_bytes());
-                dst.put_slice(b"\r\n");
-            }
+            Frame::Simple(s) => match s.as_str() {
+                "OK" => dst.put_slice(wire::OK),
+                "PONG" => dst.put_slice(wire::PONG),
+                _ => {
+                    dst.put_u8(b'+');
+                    dst.put_slice(s.as_bytes());
+                    dst.put_slice(b"\r\n");
+                }
+            },
             Frame::Error(msg) => {
                 dst.put_u8(b'-');
                 dst.put_slice(msg.as_bytes());
                 dst.put_slice(b"\r\n");
             }
-            Frame::Integer(n) => {
-                dst.put_u8(b':');
-                write_i64(*n, dst);
-                dst.put_slice(b"\r\n");
-            }
+            Frame::Integer(n) => match *n {
+                0 => dst.put_slice(wire::ZERO),
+                1 => dst.put_slice(wire::ONE),
+                -1 => dst.put_slice(wire::NEG_ONE),
+                _ => {
+                    dst.put_u8(b':');
+                    write_i64(*n, dst);
+                    dst.put_slice(b"\r\n");
+                }
+            },
             Frame::Bulk(data) => {
                 dst.put_u8(b'$');
                 write_i64(data.len() as i64, dst);
@@ -47,7 +59,7 @@ impl Frame {
                 }
             }
             Frame::Null => {
-                dst.put_slice(b"_\r\n");
+                dst.put_slice(wire::NULL);
             }
             Frame::Map(pairs) => {
                 dst.put_u8(b'%');
diff --git a/crates/ember-protocol/src/types.rs b/crates/ember-protocol/src/types.rs
index febecb8c..a6be1224 100644
--- a/crates/ember-protocol/src/types.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-protocol/src/types.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,24 @@ pub enum Frame {
     Map(Vec<(Frame, Frame)>),
 }
 
+/// Pre-computed wire bytes for the most common responses.
+/// Writing these directly to the output buffer avoids per-field
+/// serialization overhead.
+pub mod wire {
+    /// `+OK\r\n`
+    pub const OK: &[u8] = b"+OK\r\n";
+    /// `+PONG\r\n`
+    pub const PONG: &[u8] = b"+PONG\r\n";
+    /// `_\r\n`
+    pub const NULL: &[u8] = b"_\r\n";
+    /// `:0\r\n`
+    pub const ZERO: &[u8] = b":0\r\n";
+    /// `:1\r\n`
+    pub const ONE: &[u8] = b":1\r\n";
+    /// `:-1\r\n`
+    pub const NEG_ONE: &[u8] = b":-1\r\n";
+}
+
 impl Frame {
     /// Returns `true` if this frame is a null value.
     pub fn is_null(&self) -> bool {