Writing MATLAB Performance Tests

Writing MATLAB Performance Tests

Write performance tests for MATLAB code using the matlab.perftest.TestCase framework. This framework provides statistically rigorous timing with automatic warmup, multiple samples, and outlier handling.

When to Use

• User wants to write repeatable performance tests for their MATLAB code
• User needs to benchmark functions with statistical confidence
• User wants to detect performance regressions over time
• User is setting up continuous performance monitoring
• User asks how to use runperf or matlab.perftest.TestCase

When NOT to Use

• User wants a quick one-off timing (use timeit instead — see matlab-optimize-performance)
• User wants to optimize existing code (use matlab-optimize-performance)
• User wants to measure memory usage (use matlab-optimize-memory)
• User wants to profile code to find bottlenecks (use matlab-optimize-performance, Step 2)

Framework: matlab.perftest.TestCase

All performance tests subclass matlab.perftest.TestCase and use measurement boundaries to control what gets timed.

Basic Template

classdef MyFeaturePerformanceTest < matlab.perftest.TestCase

    properties (MethodSetupParameter)
        DataSize = struct('Small', 100, 'Medium', 1000, 'Large', 10000)
    end

    properties
        inputData
    end

    methods (TestMethodSetup)
        function setupData(testCase, DataSize)
            % ALL setup outside the measurement boundary
            testCase.inputData = randn(DataSize, 1);