Programming Language and compiler
Benchmarks

Nim VS C benchmarks

Current benchmark data was generated on Sun Jul 13 2025, full log can be found HERE

CONTRIBUTIONS are WELCOME!

[x86_64][4 cores] AMD EPYC 7763 64-Core Processor (Model 1)

* -m in a file name stands for multi-threading or multi-processing

* -i in a file name stands for direct intrinsics usage. (Usage of simd intrinsics via libraries is not counted)

* -ffi in a file name stands for non-stdlib FFI usage

* (You may find time < time(user) + time(sys) for some non-parallelized programs, the overhead is from GC or JIT compiler, which are allowed to take advantage of multi-cores as that's more close to real-world scenarios.)

binarytrees

Input: 18

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 786ms 11ms 34.9MB 770ms 3ms nim 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 947ms 6.3ms 35.2MB 923ms 10ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 73ms 0.2ms 5.5MB 60ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 93ms 1.5ms 5.8MB 80ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

coro-prime-sieve

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 574.4MB 2647ms 1873ms nim 2.2.4
nim 3.nim timeout 0.0ms 6.6MB 4990ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 574.8MB 2590ms 1930ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 3.nim timeout 0.0ms 6.9MB 4983ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 1000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 3.nim 903ms 4.5ms 4.0MB 893ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 3.nim 905ms 4.9ms 3.6MB 893ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 4097ms 6.6ms 518.7MB 2123ms 1547ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 4111ms 9.9ms 518.2MB 2133ms 1553ms nim 2.2.4

fasta

Input: 2500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 188ms 2.6ms 1.5MB 177ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 243ms 2.2ms 1.8MB 233ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 537ms 2.6ms 1.8MB 447ms 73ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 560ms 2.7ms 1.5MB 470ms 73ms nim 2.2.4

Input: 250000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 21ms 0.8ms 1.5MB 10ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 27ms 1.0ms 1.8MB 20ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 57ms 0.9ms 1.8MB 40ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 59ms 0.7ms 1.5MB 47ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

helloworld

Input: QwQ

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1.c 1.0ms 0.0ms 1.3MB 0ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
nim 1.nim 1.0ms 0.0ms 1.6MB 0ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 1.1ms 0.0ms 1.8MB 0ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
c 1.c 1.2ms 0.1ms 2.1MB 0ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1.c 1.2ms 0.0ms 2.1MB 0ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0

lru

Input: 1000 1000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 112ms 1.7ms 1.6MB 103ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 114ms 2.9ms 1.4MB 110ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 1.3MB 4990ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 1.5MB 4990ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 1000 3000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 324ms 2.4ms 1.9MB 317ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 338ms 4.4ms 1.4MB 330ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 1.3MB 4990ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim timeout 0.0ms 1.5MB 4990ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 100 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 2.nim 48ms 0.2ms 1.5MB 40ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 2.nim 51ms 1.6ms 1.3MB 40ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 476ms 2.4ms 1.3MB 467ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 479ms 9.7ms 1.5MB 470ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

mandelbrot

Input: 5000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1-mffi.c 223ms 10ms 7.6MB 830ms 13ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-mffi.c 266ms 5.3ms 6.5MB 813ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1-ffi.c 330ms 1.2ms 6.0MB 320ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 331ms 2.9ms 6.0MB 320ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
nim 1.nim 387ms 0.9ms 4.8MB 380ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
c 1-ffi.c 453ms 1.4ms 6.7MB 443ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-ffi.c 544ms 3.5ms 6.6MB 533ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
nim 1.nim 576ms 1.6ms 4.5MB 567ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

Input: 1000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1-mffi.c 16ms 0.5ms 4.5MB 30ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-ffi.c 16ms 0.1ms 3.0MB 10ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 16ms 0.4ms 3.0MB 10ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 19ms 2.4ms 3.6MB 47ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
nim 1.nim 19ms 0.4ms 1.9MB 10ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
c 1-ffi.c 22ms 0.6ms 3.5MB 10ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-ffi.c 26ms 0.6ms 3.8MB 20ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
nim 1.nim 27ms 0.2ms 1.6MB 20ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

merkletrees

Input: 17

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim 547ms 6.1ms 33.9MB 527ms 3ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 645ms 20ms 34.7MB 623ms 7ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim 116ms 3.2ms 9.6MB 103ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 136ms 5.6ms 9.9MB 123ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

nbody

Input: 5000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 8-i.c 267ms 0.8ms 1.5MB 260ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 301ms 1.4ms 2.1MB 290ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 309ms 1.5ms 2.3MB 300ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5.c 313ms 1.4ms 2.3MB 303ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 2.c 313ms 1.7ms 1.5MB 307ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 5.c 316ms 0.6ms 2.1MB 310ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5.c 316ms 2.1ms 1.5MB 310ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 2.c 319ms 2.0ms 2.1MB 310ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 2.nim 320ms 1.7ms 1.8MB 310ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
c 8-i.c 336ms 1.3ms 2.3MB 330ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
nim 2.nim 343ms 3.6ms 2.0MB 337ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 8-i.c 29ms 0.3ms 1.5MB 20ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 32ms 0.5ms 2.1MB 20ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 33ms 0.4ms 1.5MB 30ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 5.c 33ms 0.6ms 2.3MB 30ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 2.c 34ms 0.7ms 2.3MB 30ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5.c 34ms 0.4ms 2.1MB 30ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5.c 35ms 0.6ms 1.5MB 30ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
nim 2.nim 35ms 0.8ms 1.8MB 30ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
c 8-i.c 36ms 0.5ms 2.3MB 30ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 2.c 36ms 3.1ms 2.1MB 30ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 2.nim 36ms 0.6ms 2.0MB 30ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

nsieve

Input: 12

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1.c 267ms 3.7ms 41.0MB 253ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 1.nim 271ms 4.0ms 41.5MB 263ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
c 1.c 277ms 11ms 40.9MB 257ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1.c 282ms 4.5ms 40.3MB 267ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
nim 1.nim 322ms 6.8ms 41.8MB 313ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

Input: 10

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim 52ms 2.4ms 11.5MB 43ms 0ms nim 2.2.4
c 1.c 56ms 2.7ms 11.8MB 43ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1.c 59ms 2.7ms 11.7MB 47ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1.c 64ms 1.3ms 11.0MB 50ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
nim 1.nim 66ms 4.2ms 11.8MB 57ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4

regex-redux

Input: 2500000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim 1646ms 10ms 152.3MB 1613ms 20ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 1673ms 4.5ms 151.5MB 1643ms 13ms nim 2.2.4

Input: 250000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
nim 1.nim 173ms 2.5ms 17.5MB 160ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 177ms 0.6ms 17.4MB 160ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

spectral-norm

Input: 8000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 735ms 1.2ms 2.0MB 2887ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 969ms 27ms 2.0MB 3773ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 996ms 15ms 2.0MB 3907ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 1002ms 1.1ms 3.1MB 3943ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 1119ms 3.6ms 3.4MB 4407ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 1141ms 0.4ms 2.0MB 4510ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 1326ms 1.0ms 3.1MB 5233ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 1841ms 29ms 3.3MB 7233ms 7ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 1.nim 3589ms 2.6ms 1.6MB 3580ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 3610ms 3.4ms 1.4MB 3600ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 194ms 0.5ms 2.0MB 740ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 245ms 0.6ms 2.0MB 947ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 258ms 0.9ms 2.1MB 990ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 260ms 1.0ms 3.3MB 990ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 287ms 0.9ms 3.3MB 1103ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 298ms 7.7ms 2.0MB 1147ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 341ms 2.4ms 3.3MB 1313ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 468ms 9.9ms 3.3MB 1807ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 1.nim 899ms 0.6ms 1.5MB 890ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 904ms 3.3ms 1.3MB 893ms 0ms nim 2.2.4

Input: 2000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 55ms 1.3ms 2.3MB 197ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 72ms 0.1ms 2.0MB 260ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 73ms 8.3ms 2.0MB 250ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 75ms 7.4ms 3.3MB 257ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 78ms 0.6ms 3.3MB 280ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 81ms 1.3ms 2.0MB 293ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 95ms 6.8ms 3.1MB 340ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 124ms 3.1ms 3.3MB 450ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
nim 1.nim 226ms 0.2ms 1.5MB 220ms 0ms nim/clang 2.2.4
nim 1.nim 228ms 1.1ms 1.3MB 220ms 0ms nim 2.2.4