Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development · Lesson

Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir

Identify performance bottlenecks in your Elixir code using benchmarking tools and profiling techniques.

Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir is a free Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Performance: Speed & Efficiency

In software development, performance refers to how fast and efficiently your application runs. It's crucial for a good user experience and managing server resources.

Slow applications can frustrate users, leading to abandonment. For backend systems, poor performance can mean higher infrastructure costs or an inability to handle user loads.

Responsiveness: How quickly the system responds to user input.
Throughput: How many operations it can handle over time.
Resource Usage: How much CPU, memory, or network it consumes.

What is Benchmarking?

Benchmarking is the process of measuring the performance of a piece of code or a system under specific conditions. It helps you understand how fast different parts of your code execute.

You often use benchmarking to compare different implementations of the same logic. For example, which way of processing a list is faster? By running them many times and averaging the results, you get reliable data.

Simple Manual Timing

Elixir provides basic tools to measure execution time. We can use System.monotonic_time/0 and System.convert_time_unit/3 to get a rough idea.

Let's try timing a simple list operation. The time is given in native units, then converted to microseconds.

defmodule MyTimer do
  def run_and_time(fun) do
    start_time = System.monotonic_time(:nanosecond)
    result = fun.()
    end_time = System.monotonic_time(:nanosecond)
    duration = System.convert_time_unit(end_time - start_time, :nanosecond, :microsecond)
    IO.puts "Function returned: #{inspect(result)}"
    IO.puts "Execution took: #{duration} µs"
  end

  def example_task do
    1..1_000_000 |> Enum.map(fn x -> x * 2 end)
  end
end

# To run this in an IEx session or script:
MyTimer.run_and_time(fn -> MyTimer.example_task() end)

Meet Benchee: Elixir's Benchmarker

While manual timing is useful, it's not robust enough for serious benchmarking. Factors like garbage collection, CPU load, and warm-up times can skew results.

Benchee is a popular Elixir library designed for accurate and reliable benchmarking. It runs your code many times, calculates statistics, and presents clear results.

Handles warm-up periods.
Performs statistical analysis (average, standard deviation).
Compares multiple functions easily.

First Benchee Benchmark

To use Benchee, you'd typically add {:benchee, "~> 1.0", only: :dev} to your mix.exs dependencies and run mix deps.get.

Here's how you define a simple benchmark. This code would usually be in a file like bench/my_benchmark.exs and run with mix bench.

defmodule MyBenchmarks do
  use Benchee.Benchmark

  def run do
    Benchee.run %{
      "list_sum" => fn -> Enum.sum(1..10_000) end
    },
    time: 1,
    memory_time: 0.1, # Shorten for quick example
    print: [fast_warning: false]
  end
end

# To run this directly (after adding Benchee to mix.exs and running mix deps.get):
# MyBenchmarks.run()

Comparing Implementations

One of Benchee's strengths is comparing different approaches. Let's benchmark two ways to append an element to a list: using ++ (concatenation) vs. [new_element | list] (prepense, then reverse if order matters).

For appending to the *end* effectively, ++ is common, but prepending is often faster. Benchee helps confirm this.

defmodule ListAppendBenchmarks do
  use Benchee.Benchmark

  def run do
    long_list = Enum.to_list(1..10_000)
    new_element = 10_001

    Benchee.run %{
      "append_with_++" => fn -> long_list ++ [new_element] end,
      "prepend_and_reverse" => fn -> [new_element | long_list] |> Enum.reverse() end
    },
    time: 1,
    memory_time: 0.1
  end
end

# ListAppendBenchmarks.run()

Deciphering Benchee Results

When Benchee runs, it outputs a table of statistics:

ips (iterations per second): How many times the function can execute in one second. Higher is better.
average: The average execution time per iteration. Lower is better.
std dev (standard deviation): How much the execution times vary. A lower standard deviation means more consistent results.
median: The middle value of all execution times.
memory usage: How much memory the operation consumes.

Focus on ips and average for speed, and std dev for consistency.

What is Profiling?

While benchmarking tells you how fast your code is, profiling tells you where your code is spending its time. It helps pinpoint specific functions or lines of code that are bottlenecks.

A profiler typically tracks:

CPU time: Which functions consume the most processing power.
Memory usage: Which parts allocate the most memory.
Function calls: The call stack, showing who calls whom.

This is crucial for optimizing, as you want to focus your efforts on the slowest parts.

Basic Profiling with :eprof

Elixir, running on the Erlang VM, has access to Erlang's powerful built-in profiler, :eprof. It helps you find CPU hotspots in your code.

You typically use :eprof interactively in an IEx session. It measures the execution time of functions called within a profiled block.

defmodule MyProfiledCode do
  def slow_function(n) do
    Enum.map(1..n, fn x -> :math.pow(x, 0.5) |> round end)
  end

  def entry_point do
    slow_function(5_000)
  end
end

# To profile in IEx:
# :eprof.start_profiling()
# MyProfiledCode.entry_point()
# :eprof.stop_profiling()
# :eprof.analyze()

Reading :eprof Reports

After running :eprof.analyze(), you'll get a report showing:

Function calls: How many times each function was called.
Total time: The total CPU time spent in that function and its children.
Self time: The CPU time spent directly in that function, excluding calls to other functions.

Look for functions with high 'self time' or 'total time' as potential bottlenecks. This indicates where the most work is being done.

Performance Tool Check

You've learned about both benchmarking and profiling. Now, let's test your understanding!

Summary: Optimize Your Code

Congratulations! You've explored essential tools for understanding and improving your Elixir application's performance.

Benchmarking (with Benchee) measures how fast code runs and compares different implementations.
Profiling (with :eprof) identifies where your code spends most of its time, pinpointing bottlenecks.

By using these techniques, you can write more efficient, faster, and scalable Elixir applications. Keep practicing to make performance analysis a regular part of your development workflow!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir” is free to read here on the web, and the Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir”?

Identify performance bottlenecks in your Elixir code using benchmarking tools and profiling techniques. You practise Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development?

No prior experience is required. Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Benchmarking and Profiling Elixir” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development lesson?

Yes. Every Elixir & Phoenix: Scalable Backend Development lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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