Developer Console, Metadata API, or SFDX is slow

Reason for operation latency

• Unmanaged code: The Apex compiler compiles all dependencies upon saves. If there is a significant amount of code (say > 2MB), then this could result in very high compile times per each save/push to the platform.
• Dequeue delay:  The operation of saving code form IDE tools like VS Code, SFDX, Developer console are always asynchronous for its current version. 
• Large code base: Consider working with ANT build scripts. Take a look at the build.xml in the Cumulus CI.

Other Tools

• VS Code
  • Trailhead: Set up Visual Studio Code
• MavensMate: provides integration with good speed.
• Ant Migration Tool : you could use ANT for deploying and retrieving items from your environment, which is also a fast way to deploy/retrieve code.