diff --git a/gn/sksl.gni b/gn/sksl.gni
index 4d33e8a..8e73c82 100644
--- a/gn/sksl.gni
+++ b/gn/sksl.gni
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLMemoryLayout.h",
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLParser.cpp",
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLParser.h",
+  "$_src/sksl/SkSLPool.cpp",
+  "$_src/sksl/SkSLPool.h",
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLPosition.h",
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLRehydrator.cpp",
   "$_src/sksl/SkSLRehydrator.h",
diff --git a/src/sksl/SkSLCompiler.cpp b/src/sksl/SkSLCompiler.cpp
index 22c7492..6c88308 100644
--- a/src/sksl/SkSLCompiler.cpp
+++ b/src/sksl/SkSLCompiler.cpp
@@ -1552,24 +1552,33 @@
 
     const ParsedModule& baseModule = this->moduleForProgramKind(kind);
 
+    // Enable node pooling while converting and optimizing the program for a performance boost.
+    // The Program will take ownership of the pool.
+    std::unique_ptr<Pool> pool = Pool::CreatePoolOnThread(2000);
     IRGenerator::IRBundle ir =
             fIRGenerator->convertProgram(kind, &settings, baseModule, /*isBuiltinCode=*/false,
                                          textPtr->c_str(), textPtr->size(), externalValues);
-    auto result = std::make_unique<Program>(kind,
-                                            std::move(textPtr),
-                                            settings,
-                                            fContext,
-                                            std::move(ir.fElements),
-                                            std::move(ir.fModifiers),
-                                            std::move(ir.fSymbolTable),
-                                            ir.fInputs);
+    auto program = std::make_unique<Program>(kind,
+                                             std::move(textPtr),
+                                             settings,
+                                             fContext,
+                                             std::move(ir.fElements),
+                                             std::move(ir.fModifiers),
+                                             std::move(ir.fSymbolTable),
+                                             std::move(pool),
+                                             ir.fInputs);
+    bool success = false;
     if (fErrorCount) {
-        return nullptr;
+        // Do not return programs that failed to compile.
+    } else if (settings.fOptimize && !this->optimize(*program)) {
+        // Do not return programs that failed to optimize.
+    } else {
+        // We have a successful program!
+        success = true;
     }
-    if (settings.fOptimize && !this->optimize(*result)) {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-    return result;
+
+    program->fPool->detachFromThread();
+    return success ? std::move(program) : nullptr;
 }
 
 bool Compiler::optimize(Program& program) {
diff --git a/src/sksl/SkSLPool.cpp b/src/sksl/SkSLPool.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e47e02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sksl/SkSLPool.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+ * found in the LICENSE file.
+ */
+
+#include "src/sksl/SkSLPool.h"
+
+#include "src/sksl/ir/SkSLIRNode.h"
+
+#define VLOG(...) // printf(__VA_ARGS__)
+
+namespace SkSL {
+
+#if defined(SK_BUILD_FOR_IOS) && \
+        (!defined(__IPHONE_9_0) || __IPHONE_OS_VERSION_MIN_REQUIRED < __IPHONE_9_0)
+
+// iOS did not support for C++11 `thread_local` variables until iOS 9.
+// Pooling is not supported here; we allocate all nodes directly.
+struct PoolData {};
+
+Pool::~Pool() {}
+void Pool* Pool::CreatePoolOnThread(int nodesInPool) { return new Pool; }
+void Pool::detachFromThread() {}
+void Pool::attachToThread() {}
+void* Pool::AllocIRNode() { return ::operator new(sizeof(IRNode)); }
+void Pool::FreeIRNode(void* node) { ::operator delete(node); }
+
+#else  // !defined(SK_BUILD_FOR_IOS)...
+
+namespace { struct IRNodeData {
+    union {
+        uint8_t fBuffer[sizeof(IRNode)];
+        IRNodeData* fFreeListNext;
+    };
+}; }
+
+struct PoolData {
+    // This holds the first free node in the pool. It will be null when the pool is exhausted.
+    IRNodeData* fFreeListHead = fNodes;
+
+    // This points to end of our pooled data, and implies the number of nodes.
+    IRNodeData* fNodesEnd = nullptr;
+
+    // Our pooled data lives here. (We allocate lots of nodes here, not just one.)
+    IRNodeData fNodes[1];
+
+    // Accessors.
+    ptrdiff_t nodeCount() { return fNodesEnd - fNodes; }
+
+    ptrdiff_t nodeIndex(IRNodeData* node) {
+        SkASSERT(node >= fNodes);
+        SkASSERT(node < fNodesEnd);
+        return node - fNodes;
+    }
+};
+
+static thread_local PoolData* sPoolData = nullptr;
+
+static PoolData* create_pool_data(int nodesInPool) {
+    // Create a PoolData structure with extra space at the end for additional IRNode data.
+    int numExtraIRNodes = nodesInPool - 1;
+    PoolData* poolData = static_cast<PoolData*>(malloc(sizeof(PoolData) +
+                                                       (sizeof(IRNodeData) * numExtraIRNodes)));
+
+    // Initialize each pool node as a free node. The free nodes form a singly-linked list, each
+    // pointing to the next free node in sequence.
+    for (int index = 0; index < nodesInPool - 1; ++index) {
+        poolData->fNodes[index].fFreeListNext = &poolData->fNodes[index + 1];
+    }
+    poolData->fNodes[nodesInPool - 1].fFreeListNext = nullptr;
+    poolData->fNodesEnd = &poolData->fNodes[nodesInPool];
+
+    return poolData;
+}
+
+
+Pool::~Pool() {
+    if (sPoolData == fData) {
+        SkDEBUGFAIL("SkSL pool is being destroyed while it is still attached to the thread");
+        sPoolData = nullptr;
+    }
+
+    // In debug mode, report any leaked nodes.
+#ifdef SK_DEBUG
+    ptrdiff_t nodeCount = fData->nodeCount();
+    std::vector<bool> freed(nodeCount);
+    for (IRNodeData* node = fData->fFreeListHead; node; node = node->fFreeListNext) {
+        ptrdiff_t nodeIndex = fData->nodeIndex(node);
+        freed[nodeIndex] = true;
+    }
+    bool foundLeaks = false;
+    for (int index = 0; index < nodeCount; ++index) {
+        if (!freed[index]) {
+            IRNode* leak = reinterpret_cast<IRNode*>(fData->fNodes[index].fBuffer);
+            SkDebugf("Node %d leaked: %s\n", index, leak->description().c_str());
+            foundLeaks = true;
+        }
+    }
+    if (foundLeaks) {
+        SkDEBUGFAIL("leaking SkSL pool nodes; if they are later freed, this will likely be fatal");
+    }
+#endif
+
+    VLOG("DELETE Pool:0x%016llX\n", (uint64_t)fData);
+    free(fData);
+}
+
+std::unique_ptr<Pool> Pool::CreatePoolOnThread(int nodesInPool) {
+    auto pool = std::unique_ptr<Pool>(new Pool);
+    pool->fData = create_pool_data(nodesInPool);
+    pool->fData->fFreeListHead = &pool->fData->fNodes[0];
+    VLOG("CREATE Pool:0x%016llX\n", (uint64_t)pool->fData);
+    pool->attachToThread();
+    return pool;
+}
+
+void Pool::detachFromThread() {
+    VLOG("DETACH Pool:0x%016llX\n", (uint64_t)sPoolData);
+    SkASSERT(sPoolData != nullptr);
+    sPoolData = nullptr;
+}
+
+void Pool::attachToThread() {
+    VLOG("ATTACH Pool:0x%016llX\n", (uint64_t)fData);
+    SkASSERT(sPoolData == nullptr);
+    sPoolData = fData;
+}
+
+void* Pool::AllocIRNode() {
+    // Is a pool attached?
+    if (sPoolData) {
+        // Does the pool contain a free node?
+        IRNodeData* node = sPoolData->fFreeListHead;
+        if (node) {
+            // Yes. Take a node from the freelist.
+            sPoolData->fFreeListHead = node->fFreeListNext;
+            VLOG("ALLOC  Pool:0x%016llX Index:%04d         0x%016llX\n",
+                 (uint64_t)sPoolData, (int)(node - &sPoolData->fNodes[0]), (uint64_t)node);
+            return node->fBuffer;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // The pool is detached or full; allocate nodes using malloc.
+    void* ptr = ::operator new(sizeof(IRNode));
+    VLOG("ALLOC  Pool:0x%016llX Index:____ malloc  0x%016llX\n",
+         (uint64_t)sPoolData, (uint64_t)ptr);
+    return ptr;
+}
+
+void Pool::FreeIRNode(void* node_v) {
+    // Is a pool attached?
+    if (sPoolData) {
+        // Did this node come from our pool?
+        auto* node = static_cast<IRNodeData*>(node_v);
+        if (node >= &sPoolData->fNodes[0] && node < sPoolData->fNodesEnd) {
+            // Yes. Push it back onto the freelist.
+            VLOG("FREE   Pool:0x%016llX Index:%04d         0x%016llX\n",
+                 (uint64_t)sPoolData, (int)(node - &sPoolData->fNodes[0]), (uint64_t)node);
+            node->fFreeListNext = sPoolData->fFreeListHead;
+            sPoolData->fFreeListHead = node;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // No pool is attached or the node was malloced; it must be freed.
+    VLOG("FREE   Pool:0x%016llX Index:____ free    0x%016llX\n",
+         (uint64_t)sPoolData, (uint64_t)node_v);
+    ::operator delete(node_v);
+}
+
+#endif  // !defined(SK_BUILD_FOR_IOS)...
+
+}  // namespace SkSL
diff --git a/src/sksl/SkSLPool.h b/src/sksl/SkSLPool.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7338ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sksl/SkSLPool.h
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+ * found in the LICENSE file.
+ */
+
+#ifndef SKSL_POOL
+#define SKSL_POOL
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace SkSL {
+
+class IRNode;
+struct PoolData;
+
+class Pool {
+public:
+    ~Pool();
+
+    // Creates a pool to store newly-created IRNodes during program creation and attaches it to the
+    // current thread. When your program is complete, call pool->detachFromThread() to transfer
+    // ownership of those nodes. Before destroying any of the program's nodes, reattach the pool via
+    // pool->attachToThread(). It is an error to call CreatePoolOnThread if a pool is already
+    // attached to the current thread.
+    static std::unique_ptr<Pool> CreatePoolOnThread(int nodesInPool);
+
+    // Once a pool has been created and the ephemeral work has completed, detach it from its thread.
+    // It is an error to call this while no pool is attached.
+    void detachFromThread();
+
+    // Reattaches a pool to the current thread. It is an error to call this while a pool is already
+    // attached.
+    void attachToThread();
+
+    // Retrieves a node from the thread pool. If the pool is exhausted, this will allocate a node.
+    static void* AllocIRNode();
+
+    // Releases a node that was created by AllocIRNode. This will return it to the pool, or free it,
+    // as appropriate. Make sure to free all nodes, since some of them may be real allocations.
+    static void FreeIRNode(void* node_v);
+
+private:
+    Pool() = default;  // use CreatePoolOnThread to make a pool
+    PoolData* fData = nullptr;
+};
+
+}  // namespace SkSL
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/sksl/ir/SkSLIRNode.h b/src/sksl/ir/SkSLIRNode.h
index 982ed34..58241af 100644
--- a/src/sksl/ir/SkSLIRNode.h
+++ b/src/sksl/ir/SkSLIRNode.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "src/sksl/SkSLASTNode.h"
 #include "src/sksl/SkSLLexer.h"
 #include "src/sksl/SkSLModifiersPool.h"
+#include "src/sksl/SkSLPool.h"
 #include "src/sksl/SkSLString.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -64,6 +65,20 @@
     // purposes
     int fOffset;
 
+    // Override operator new and delete to allow us to control allocation behavior.
+    static void* operator new(const size_t size) {
+        // TODO: once all IRNodes hold their data in fData, everything should come out of the pool,
+        // and this check should become an assertion.
+        if (size == sizeof(IRNode)) {
+            return Pool::AllocIRNode();
+        }
+        return ::operator new(size);
+    }
+
+    static void operator delete(void* ptr) {
+        Pool::FreeIRNode(ptr);
+    }
+
 protected:
     struct BlockData {
         std::shared_ptr<SymbolTable> fSymbolTable;
diff --git a/src/sksl/ir/SkSLProgram.h b/src/sksl/ir/SkSLProgram.h
index d370353..b86c6f6 100644
--- a/src/sksl/ir/SkSLProgram.h
+++ b/src/sksl/ir/SkSLProgram.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 namespace SkSL {
 
 class Context;
+class Pool;
 
 /**
  * Represents a fully-digested program, ready for code generation.
@@ -165,16 +166,30 @@
             std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ProgramElement>> elements,
             std::unique_ptr<ModifiersPool> modifiers,
             std::shared_ptr<SymbolTable> symbols,
+            std::unique_ptr<Pool> pool,
             Inputs inputs)
     : fKind(kind)
     , fSource(std::move(source))
     , fSettings(settings)
     , fContext(context)
     , fSymbols(symbols)
+    , fPool(std::move(pool))
     , fInputs(inputs)
     , fElements(std::move(elements))
     , fModifiers(std::move(modifiers)) {}
 
+    ~Program() {
+        // Some or all of the program elements are in the pool. To free them safely, we must attach
+        // the pool before destroying any program elements. (Otherwise, we may accidentally call
+        // delete on a pooled node.)
+        fPool->attachToThread();
+        fElements.clear();
+        fContext.reset();
+        fSymbols.reset();
+        fModifiers.reset();
+        fPool->detachFromThread();
+    }
+
     const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<ProgramElement>>& elements() const { return fElements; }
 
     Kind fKind;
@@ -184,6 +199,7 @@
     // it's important to keep fElements defined after (and thus destroyed before) fSymbols,
     // because destroying elements can modify reference counts in symbols
     std::shared_ptr<SymbolTable> fSymbols;
+    std::unique_ptr<Pool> fPool;
     Inputs fInputs;
 
 private: