diff --git a/xff/engine/run.cc b/xff/engine/run.cc
index 034b8d3..d5a32ab 100644
--- a/xff/engine/run.cc
+++ b/xff/engine/run.cc
@@ -189,6 +189,9 @@ int RunFind(const parser::Command& command, const vfs::FileSystem& fs, EmitFn em
   options.symlinks = ResolveSymlinkMode(command.globals);
   const render::Format format = ResolveFormat(command.globals);
   const std::optional<std::string> tmpl = ResolveTemplate(command.globals);
+  // Precompile the --template once; rendering each match then skips re-scanning.
+  const std::optional<fields::Template> compiled_tmpl =
+      tmpl.has_value() ? std::optional<fields::Template>(fields::Template::Compile(*tmpl)) : std::nullopt;
   if (expression != nullptr) {
     ScanDepthOptions(*expression, &options);
   }
@@ -208,8 +211,9 @@ int RunFind(const parser::Command& command, const vfs::FileSystem& fs, EmitFn em
         Control control;
         const bool matched = expression == nullptr || Evaluate(*expression, visit, emit, walk_fs, now, control);
         if (matched && !has_action) {
-          emit(tmpl.has_value() ? fields::Render(*tmpl, visit.path, visit.metadata, visit.depth) + "\n"
-                                : render::Renderer(format).Record(visit.path));  // --template overrides --format
+          emit(compiled_tmpl.has_value()
+                   ? compiled_tmpl->Render(visit.path, visit.metadata, visit.depth) + "\n"
+                   : render::Renderer(format).Record(visit.path));  // --template overrides --format
         }
         if (control.quit) return WalkAction::kStop;
         if (control.prune) return WalkAction::kPrune;
diff --git a/xff/fields/fields.cc b/xff/fields/fields.cc
index 6d8a776..4e9403b 100644
--- a/xff/fields/fields.cc
+++ b/xff/fields/fields.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
+#include <utility>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "absl/time/time.h"
 #include "xff/vfs/entry.h"
@@ -197,33 +199,58 @@ std::string_view::size_type ParseField(
 
 }  // namespace
 
-std::string Render(std::string_view tmpl, std::string_view path, const vfs::Metadata& metadata, int depth) {
-  std::string out;
+Template Template::Compile(std::string_view tmpl) {
+  Template compiled;
+  std::string literal;
+  const auto flush_literal = [&] {
+    if (!literal.empty()) {
+      compiled.segments_.push_back({/*is_field=*/false, std::move(literal), {}});
+      literal.clear();  // restore the moved-from buffer to a known-empty state
+    }
+  };
   for (std::string_view::size_type i = 0; i < tmpl.size();) {
     const char ch = tmpl[i];
     if (ch == '{' && i + 1 < tmpl.size() && tmpl[i + 1] == '{') {
-      out.push_back('{');
+      literal.push_back('{');
       i += 2;
     } else if (ch == '}' && i + 1 < tmpl.size() && tmpl[i + 1] == '}') {
-      out.push_back('}');
+      literal.push_back('}');
       i += 2;
     } else if (ch == '{') {
       std::string_view name;
       std::string qualifier;
       const std::string_view::size_type next = ParseField(tmpl, i, name, qualifier);
       if (next == std::string_view::npos) {  // not a well-formed placeholder -> literal '{'
-        out.push_back(ch);
+        literal.push_back(ch);
         ++i;
         continue;
       }
-      out.append(ResolveField(name, qualifier, path, metadata, depth));
+      flush_literal();
+      compiled.segments_.push_back({/*is_field=*/true, std::string(name), std::move(qualifier)});
       i = next;
     } else {
-      out.push_back(ch);
+      literal.push_back(ch);
       ++i;
     }
   }
+  flush_literal();
+  return compiled;
+}
+
+std::string Template::Render(std::string_view path, const vfs::Metadata& metadata, int depth) const {
+  std::string out;
+  for (const Segment& segment : segments_) {
+    if (segment.is_field) {
+      out.append(ResolveField(segment.text, segment.qualifier, path, metadata, depth));
+    } else {
+      out.append(segment.text);
+    }
+  }
   return out;
 }
 
+std::string Render(std::string_view tmpl, std::string_view path, const vfs::Metadata& metadata, int depth) {
+  return Template::Compile(tmpl).Render(path, metadata, depth);
+}
+
 }  // namespace xff::fields
diff --git a/xff/fields/fields.h b/xff/fields/fields.h
index 3c65af3..6c962b1 100644
--- a/xff/fields/fields.h
+++ b/xff/fields/fields.h
@@ -18,16 +18,17 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "xff/vfs/entry.h"
 
 namespace xff::fields {
 
-// Renders `tmpl` against one entry, substituting {field} placeholders with
-// values derived from `path`, `metadata`, and `depth`. `{{` and `}}` emit
-// literal braces; an unterminated `{` is literal and an unknown field renders
-// empty. This is the foundation for the --format template and (gated) -exec
-// substitution.
+// Renders {field} placeholder templates against a visited entry, substituting
+// values derived from its `path`, `metadata`, and `depth`. `{{` and `}}` emit
+// literal braces; an unterminated or malformed `{` stays literal; an unknown
+// field renders empty. This backs the --format/--template output and (gated)
+// -exec substitution.
 //
 // Supported: {path} {dir} {name}/{file} {stem} {ext}/{extension} {suffixes}
 // {depth} {size} ({size:h} human-readable) {type} {inode} {links} {mode}/{perm}
@@ -36,6 +37,28 @@ namespace xff::fields {
 // preset ({mtime:iso|epoch}); local time, default ISO-8601. A qualifier may be
 // written as a "C-quoted string" ({mtime:"{\"t\":\"%H:%M\"}"}) so it can hold a
 // literal '}' or ':' (\" and \\ are escapes). {root} layers on later.
+//
+// Compile parses the template once into literal/field segments; the resulting
+// Template renders against many entries without re-scanning -- the hot path for
+// --template (and -exec), which render every match.
+class Template {
+ public:
+  static Template Compile(std::string_view tmpl);
+
+  std::string Render(std::string_view path, const vfs::Metadata& metadata, int depth) const;
+
+ private:
+  struct Segment {
+    bool is_field = false;   // false: emit `text` verbatim; true: resolve field `text`
+    std::string text;        // literal run, or field name when is_field
+    std::string qualifier;   // field qualifier, when is_field
+  };
+
+  std::vector<Segment> segments_;
+};
+
+// Convenience wrapper: Compile(tmpl).Render(...). Prefer Compile once + Render
+// per entry on hot paths.
 std::string Render(std::string_view tmpl, std::string_view path, const vfs::Metadata& metadata, int depth);
 
 }  // namespace xff::fields
diff --git a/xff/fields/fields_test.cc b/xff/fields/fields_test.cc
index b24e512..0d085c0 100644
--- a/xff/fields/fields_test.cc
+++ b/xff/fields/fields_test.cc
@@ -94,5 +94,11 @@ TEST_F(FieldsTest, QuotedQualifierCarriesBracesColonsAndQuotes) {
   EXPECT_THAT(Render(R"({mtime:"%Y)", "f", md, 0), Eq(R"({mtime:"%Y)"));
 }
 
+TEST_F(FieldsTest, CompiledTemplateRendersManyEntries) {
+  const Template compiled = Template::Compile("{name}={size:h}");  // parsed once, reused below
+  EXPECT_THAT(compiled.Render("a/x", Meta(vfs::FileType::kRegular, 1), 0), Eq("x=1"));
+  EXPECT_THAT(compiled.Render("b/big", Meta(vfs::FileType::kRegular, 1536), 0), Eq("big=1.5K"));
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 }  // namespace xff::fields