Reasons to Add a Benchmark Command

Usually when a program becomes big and complex enough (and important enough) it has some features that are slow. If left alone, the slowness will often become annoying. One thing I like to do in console programs is provide a hidden benchmark option.

When writing articles, I make many spelling errors so I have a spelling checker. Because of the quantity of text it must process, the spell-checker must be optimized. By providing a benchmark command, which causes the program to repeat the spell-checking many times, I can make sure the speller is kept in good condition.

Here are some benefits of using a hidden benchmark option:

Programs often last for many years, if they are useful. Even though a hidden benchmark command is still a micro-benchmark, which causes distortions in the results, it is still worth doing as it can highlight any regressions and give some motivation.