runperf

Run set of tests for performance measurement

Syntax

results = runperf

results = runperf(tests)

results = runperf(___,Name,Value)

Description

results = runperf runs all the tests in your current folder for performance measurements and returns an array of matlab.perftest.TimeResult objects. Each element in results corresponds to an element in the test suite.

The performance testing framework runs the tests using a variable number of measurements to reach a sample mean with a 0.05 (5%) relative margin of error within a 0.95 (95%) confidence level. It runs the tests 5 times to warm up the code, and then between 4 and 256 times to collect measurements that meet the statistical objectives. If the sample mean does not meet the 0.05 relative margin of error within a 0.95 confidence level after 256 test runs, then the framework stops running the test and displays a warning. In this case, the TimeResult object contains information for the 5 warm-up runs and 256 measurement runs.

The runperf function provides a simple way to run a collection of tests as a performance experiment.

results = runperf(tests) runs a specified set of tests.

results = runperf(___,Name,Value) runs a set of tests with additional options specified by one or more name-value arguments.

Examples

Run Script as Performance Test

In your current folder, create a script-based test, onesTest.m, that uses three different methods to initialize a 3000-by-1000 matrix of ones.

rows = 3000;
cols = 1000;

%% Ones Function
X = ones(rows,cols);

%% Loop Assignment Without Preallocation
for r = 1:rows
    for c = 1:cols
        X(r,c) = 1;
    end
end

%% Loop Assignment With Preallocation
X = zeros(rows,cols);
for r = 1:rows
    for c = 1:cols
        X(r,c) = 1;
    end
end

Run the script as a performance test. The returned results variable is a 1-by-3 TimeResult array. Each element in the array corresponds to one of the tests defined in onesTest.m.

results = runperf("onesTest")

Running onesTest
.......... .......... .......
Done onesTest
__________


results = 

  1×3 TimeResult array with properties:

    Name
    Valid
    Samples
    TestActivity

Totals:
   3 Valid, 0 Invalid.
   23.1678 seconds testing time.

Display the measurement results for the second test, which loops the assignment without preallocation.

results(2)

ans = 

  TimeResult with properties:

            Name: 'onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation'
           Valid: 1
         Samples: [4×7 table]
    TestActivity: [9×12 table]

Totals:
   1 Valid, 0 Invalid.
   22.8078 seconds testing time.

Display the complete table of test measurements. The performance testing framework ran five warm-up runs, followed by four measurement runs (indicated as sample in the Objective column). Your results might vary.

results(2).TestActivity

ans =

  9×12 table

                       Name                        Passed    Failed    Incomplete    MeasuredTime    Objective         Timestamp             Host        Platform                 Version                            TestResult                         RunIdentifier            
    ___________________________________________    ______    ______    __________    ____________    _________    ____________________    ___________    ________    __________________________________    ______________________________    ____________________________________

    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.5463        warmup      14-Oct-2022 13:51:36    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.5294        warmup      14-Oct-2022 13:51:38    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.4956        warmup      14-Oct-2022 13:51:41    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.5369        warmup      14-Oct-2022 13:51:43    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false           2.535        warmup      14-Oct-2022 13:51:46    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.5856        sample      14-Oct-2022 13:51:49    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.5344        sample      14-Oct-2022 13:51:51    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false           2.542        sample      14-Oct-2022 13:51:54    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation    true      false       false          2.4653        sample      14-Oct-2022 13:51:56    MY-HOSTNAME     win64      9.14.0.2081372 (R2023a) Prerelease    1×1 matlab.unittest.TestResult    47ea2cab-5c34-4393-ba91-9715fb919d9b

Display the mean measured time for the second test. To exclude data collected in the warm-up runs, use the values in the Samples property.

mean(results(2).Samples.MeasuredTime)

ans =

    2.5318

To compare the different initialization methods in the script, create a table of summary statistics from results. In this example, the ones function was the fastest way to initialize the matrix to ones. The performance testing framework made four measurement runs for this test.

T = sampleSummary(results)

T =

  3×7 table

                       Name                        SampleSize      Mean       StandardDeviation      Min        Median         Max   
    ___________________________________________    __________    _________    _________________    ________    _________    _________

    onesTest/OnesFunction                              4         0.0052392       8.9302e-05        0.005171    0.0052078    0.0053703
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithoutPreallocation        4            2.5318         0.049764          2.4653       2.5382       2.5856
    onesTest/LoopAssignmentWithPreallocation           4          0.023947       0.00046027        0.023532     0.023921     0.024415

Create Class-Based Performance Tests

Compare the performance of various preallocation approaches by creating a test class that derives from matlab.perftest.TestCase.

In a file named preallocationTest.m in your current folder, create the preallocationTest test class. The class contains four Test methods that correspond to different approaches to creating a vector of ones. When you run any of these methods with the runperf function, the function measures the time it takes to run the code inside the method.

classdef preallocationTest < matlab.perftest.TestCase
    methods (Test)
        function testOnes(testCase)
            x = ones(1,1e7);
        end

        function testIndexingWithVariable(testCase)
            id = 1:1e7;
            x(id) = 1;
        end

        function testIndexingOnLHS(testCase)
            x(1:1e7) = 1;
        end

        function testForLoop(testCase)
            for i = 1:1e7
                x(i) = 1;
            end
        end
    end
end

Run performance tests for all the tests with "Indexing" in their name. Your results might vary, and you might see a warning if runperf does not meet statistical objectives.

results = runperf("preallocationTest","Name","*Indexing*")

Running preallocationTest
.......... .......... .......... ..
Done preallocationTest
__________

results = 
  1×2 TimeResult array with properties:

    Name
    Valid
    Samples
    TestActivity

Totals:
   2 Valid, 0 Invalid.
   3.011 seconds testing time.

To compare the preallocation methods, create a table of summary statistics from results. In this example, the testIndexingOnLHS method was the faster way to initialize the vector to ones.

T = sampleSummary(results)

T=2×7 table
                       Name                       SampleSize      Mean      StandardDeviation      Min        Median       Max   
    __________________________________________    __________    ________    _________________    ________    ________    ________

    preallocationTest/testIndexingWithVariable        17          0.1223         0.014378         0.10003     0.12055     0.15075
    preallocationTest/testIndexingOnLHS                5        0.027557        0.0013247        0.026187    0.027489    0.029403

Input Arguments

tests — Tests

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Tests, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. Use this argument to specify your test content. For example, you can specify a test file, a test class, a folder that contains test files, a namespace that contains test classes, or a project folder that contains test files.

Example: runperf("myTestFile.m")

Example: runperf(["myTestFile/test1" "myTestFile/test3"])

Example: runperf("myNamespace.MyTestClass")

Example: runperf(pwd)

Example: runperf({'myNamespace.MyTestClass','myTestFile.m',pwd,'myNamespace.innerNamespace'})

Example: runperf("C:\projects\project1")

Name-Value Arguments

Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Example: runperf(tests,Name="productA_*") runs test elements with a name that starts with "productA_".

Before R2021a, use commas to separate each name and value, and enclose Name in quotes.

Example: runperf(tests,"Name","productA_*") runs test elements with a name that starts with "productA_".

Test Identification

IncludeSubfolders — Option to run tests in subfolders

false or 0 (default) | true or 1

Option to run tests in subfolders, specified as a numeric or logical 0 (false) or 1 (true). By default, the framework runs tests in the specified folders, but not in their subfolders.

IncludeInnerNamespaces — Option to run tests in inner namespaces

false or 0 (default) | true or 1

Option to run tests in inner namespaces, specified as a numeric or logical 0 (false) or 1 (true). By default, the framework runs tests in the specified namespaces, but not in their inner namespaces.

IncludeReferencedProjects — Option to include tests from referenced projects

false or 0 (default) | true or 1

Option to include tests from referenced projects, specified as a numeric or logical 0 (false) or 1 (true). For more information on referenced projects, see Componentize Large Projects.

InvalidFileFoundAction — Action to take against invalid test file

"warn" (default) | "error"

Action to take against an invalid test file in a folder or namespace that the function is processing, specified as one of these values:

• "warn" — The function issues a warning for each invalid test file in a folder or namespace and runs the tests in the valid files.

• "error" — The function throws an error if it finds an invalid test file in a folder or namespace.

An invalid test file is a test file that the framework cannot run. Examples include a test file that contains syntax errors, a function-based test file that is missing local functions, and a file with a Test method that is passed an undefined parameterization property.

Test Filtering

BaseFolder — Name of base folder

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of the base folder that contains the test file, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the Test element must be contained in one of the base folders specified by BaseFolder. If none of the Test elements match a base folder, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

For test files defined in namespaces, the base folder is the parent of the top-level namespace folder.

DependsOn — Names of files and folders that contain source code

string vector | character vector | cell vector of character vectors

Names of the files and folders that contain source code, specified as a string vector, character vector, or cell vector of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the file that defines the test must depend on the specified source code. If none of the test files depend on the source code, an empty test suite is returned.

The specified value must represent at least one existing file. If you specify a folder, the framework extracts the paths to the files within the folder.

You must have a MATLAB^® Test™ license to use DependsOn. For more information about selecting tests by source code dependency, see matlabtest.selectors.DependsOn (MATLAB Test).

Example: DependsOn=["myFile.m" "myFolder"]

Example: DependsOn=["folderA" "C:\work\folderB"]

Name — Name of test

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of the test, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the Name property of the Test element must match one of the names specified by Name. If none of the Test elements have a matching name, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

For a given test file, the name of a test uniquely identifies the smallest runnable portion of the test content. The test name includes the namespace name, filename (excluding the extension), procedure name, and information about parameterization.

ParameterProperty — Name of parameterization property

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of a test class property that defines a parameter used by the test, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the Parameterization property of the Test element must contain at least one of the property names specified by ParameterProperty. If none of the Test elements have a matching property name, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

ParameterName — Name of parameter

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of a parameter used by the test, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. MATLAB generates parameter names based on the test class property that defines the parameters. For example:

• If the property value is a cell array, MATLAB generates parameter names from the elements of the cell array by taking into account their values, types, and dimensions.

• If the property value is a structure, MATLAB generates parameter names from the structure fields.

The ParameterName argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the Parameterization property of the Test element must contain at least one of the parameter names specified by ParameterName. If none of the Test elements have a matching parameter name, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

ProcedureName — Name of test procedure

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of the test procedure, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the ProcedureName property of the Test element must match one of the procedure names specified by ProcedureName. If none of the Test elements have a matching procedure name, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

In a class-based test, the name of a test procedure is the name of a Test method that contains the test. In a function-based test, it is the name of a local function that contains the test. In a script-based test, it is a name generated from the test section title. Unlike the name of a test suite element, the name of a test procedure does not include any namespace name, filename, or information about parameterization.

Superclass — Name of class that test class derives from

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of the class that the test class derives from, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the TestClass property of the Test element must point to a test class that derives from one of the classes specified by Superclass. If none of the Test elements match a class, an empty test suite is returned.

Tag — Name of tag

string array | character vector | cell array of character vectors

Name of a tag used by the test, specified as a string array, character vector, or cell array of character vectors. This argument filters the test suite. For the testing framework to include a test in the filtered suite, the Tags property of the Test element must contain at least one of the tag names specified by Tag. If none of the Test elements have a matching tag name, an empty test suite is returned. Use the wildcard character (*) to match any number of characters. Use the question mark character (?) to match a single character.

Tips

• To customize the statistical objectives of the performance test, use the TimeExperiment class to construct and run the performance test.

• When you use shared test fixtures in your tests and specify the input to the runperf function as a string array or cell array of character vectors, the testing framework sorts the array to reduce shared fixture setup and teardown operations. As a result, the tests might run in an order that is different from the order of elements in the input array. For more information, see sortByFixtures.

• When you write class-based tests, you can run your tests as a standalone application (requires MATLAB Compiler™). Compiling performance tests is not currently supported. For more information, see Compile MATLAB Unit Tests.

Alternatives

To create a test suite explicitly, you can use the testsuite function or the matlab.unittest.TestSuite methods that create a suite. Then, you can run your performance test with the run method of your specified TimeExperiment.

Version History

Introduced in R2016a

R2024a: Include inner namespaces using IncludeInnerNamespaces name-value argument, renamed from IncludeSubpackages

The IncludeSubpackages name-value argument is now named IncludeInnerNamespaces. The behavior remains the same, and existing instances of IncludeSubpackages in your code continue to work as expected. There are no plans to remove support for existing references to IncludeSubpackages.

R2024a: Specify any type of source file when filtering test suite by source code dependency

If you have a MATLAB Test license, you can specify any type of source file using the DependsOn name-value argument. In previous releases, you can specify files only with a .m, .p, .mlx, .mlapp, .mat, or .slx extension.

R2023a: Filter test suite by source code dependency

You can filter a test suite by test file dependency on specified source code. Use the DependsOn name-value argument (requires MATLAB Test) to specify the source files and folders.

R2023a: Run tests that verify requirement sets

If you have Requirements Toolbox™ and MATLAB Test installed, you can use the runperf function to run tests that verify requirement sets. To run tests, specify one or more requirement set files as a string scalar or string vector. For example, results = runperf("myRequirementSet.slreqx") runs the tests that verify the specified requirement set.

R2023a: Number of warm-up measurements has increased

The number of times that runperf exercises the test code to warm it up has increased from four to five. This change results in typically fewer samples required to meet the objective relative margin of error.

If your code relies on the previous value, you might need to update your code. For example, if you use warmupTable = results(1).TestActivity(1:4,:) to create a table of warm-up measurements, replace 4 with 5.

R2022b: Specify action to take against invalid test files

To specify whether the framework issues a warning or throws an error when it encounters an invalid test file in a folder or namespace, use the InvalidFileFoundAction name-value argument.

R2022b: Parameter names generated from cell arrays are more descriptive

When you assign a nonempty cell array to a parameterization property, the testing framework generates parameter names from the elements of the cell array by taking into account their values, types, and dimensions. In previous releases, if the property value is a cell array of character vectors, the framework generates parameter names from the values in the cell array. Otherwise, the framework specifies parameter names as value1, value2, …, valueN.

If your code uses parameter names to create or filter test suites, replace the old parameter names with the descriptive parameter names. For example, update suite = testsuite(pwd,"ParameterName","value1") by replacing value1 with a descriptive parameter name.

R2022a: IncludeSubfolders treats folders and namespaces the same way

The IncludeSubfolders name-value argument treats folders and namespaces the same way. For example, runperf(pwd,IncludeSubfolders=true) runs all the tests in the current folder and any of its subfolders, including namespace folders. In previous releases, IncludeSubfolders ignores namespace folders.

R2021b: runperf ignores project files that do not define test procedures

The runperf function ignores any files in a MATLAB project that do not define test procedures. For example, if an abstract TestCase class definition file is labeled with the Test classification, the function ignores it. In previous releases, MATLAB produces an error if runperf is called on a project that uses the Test classification for any files other than concrete test files.

R2021b: Tests in projects cannot run without the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) software

If MATLAB runs without the Java^® Virtual Machine (JVM^®) software, runperf cannot run the tests in a MATLAB project. The reason is that the project cannot be opened without the JVM software. In previous releases, when MATLAB runs without the JVM software, runperf creates a suite from the test files in the project and runs the suite.

R2019a: Run tests in a MATLAB project

When your current folder is a project root folder or when you pass the path to a project root folder to the runperf function, the function runs all test files contained in the specified project that are labeled with the Test classification.

R2019a: Run tests from referenced projects

To run the tests from referenced projects, use the IncludeReferencedProjects name-value argument.

R2019a: Performance test results are returned as TimeResult objects

The runperf function returns a matlab.perftest.TimeResult array containing the results of the specified performance tests. In previous releases, the function returns an array of matlab.unittest.measurement.MeasurementResult objects.

R2019a: Maximum number of sample measurements has increased

The default maximum number of sample measurements that runperf makes when running performance measurements has increased from 32 to 256.