Xcode LLVM+GCC 4.2 - Generate Debug Symbols

Question

I'm having a library project, I've always had "Strip Debug Symbols" turned ON for release builds

I recently noticed the "Generate Debug Symbols" flag. When I set "Generate Debug Symbols" flag to NO then my library size shrinks by 30%

Is this a reasonable optimization to make for release builds?

What is the difference between "Strip Debug Symbols" and "Generate Debug Symbols" option, ideally if I strip debug symbols won't all the generated debug symbols go away? Why am I seeing this difference?

Also what other optimizations other than -Os (Fastest, Smallest) I can make to reduce the binary size?

How does "Strip Linked Product" works?

Answer 1

Concerning the reduction of the binary file size, this is how my release configuration file looks like concerning the stripping of the binary and I guess that's how most developers do it:

DEPLOYMENT_POSTPROCESSING = YES
COPY_PHASE_STRIP = NO (not necessary since my copied binaries are already stripped and codesigned)
STRIP_INSTALLED_PRODUCT = YES
STRIP_STYLE = all
SEPARATE_STRIP = YES
DEAD_CODE_STRIPPING = YES
GCC_GENERATE_DEBUGGING_SYMBOLS = NO

With these build settings, Xcode seems to be doing the same as running "strip" manually on the binary, at least from what the file size says.

I haven't found any other way to reduce the binary size even more yet. Note the "DEPLOYMENT_POSTPROCESSING" flag there - the binary size will be a lot bigger without it and for example all C functions will not be stripped.