Too Long; Didn't Read
The chances of writing code that will never be changed or never looked at again are slim to none. Use of white space, comments, and descriptive variable names as appropriate for writing easy-to-read code. Use automated server-side or other build processes to optimize files. The ability for other developers to read the code is paramount above other concerns, especially if optimization can be handled another way. Third-party code and libraries should never be modified and their original source and license must be documented.