Programming Language and compiler
Benchmarks

Zig VS C benchmarks

Current benchmark data was generated on Sun Jun 01 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
zig 1.zig 1718ms 14ms 49.0MB 1683ms 20ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 150ms 2.1ms 7.0MB 140ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

edigits

Input: 250001

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 2257ms 7.3ms 2.5MB 2230ms 10ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 100000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 384ms 5.4ms 1.9MB 370ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

fannkuch-redux

Input: 11

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 2-m.zig 638ms 2.2ms 1.4MB 2400ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 3-i.zig 1764ms 0.6ms 1.0MB 1753ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 2716ms 5.8ms 1.0MB 2707ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 10

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 2-m.zig 60ms 0.3ms 1.4MB 200ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 3-i.zig 147ms 0.4ms 1.0MB 140ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 229ms 0.8ms 1.0MB 220ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

fasta

Input: 2500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 87ms 1.4ms 1.0MB 80ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 250000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 10ms 0.1ms 1.0MB 0ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

helloworld

Input: QwQ

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1.c 1.0ms 0.0ms 1.4MB 0ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 1.1ms 0.4ms 1.1MB 0ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 1.c 1.2ms 0.0ms 2.1MB 0ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1.c 1.2ms 0.0ms 2.1MB 0ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1

knucleotide

Input: 2500000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1-m.c 172ms 2.2ms 23.6MB 403ms 7ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1-m.c 292ms 0.1ms 25.7MB 1000ms 27ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1-m.zig 314ms 1.1ms 66.5MB 827ms 30ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 500ms 5.4ms 28.0MB 483ms 7ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 250000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1-m.c 26ms 1.5ms 13.0MB 57ms 3ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1-m.c 36ms 1.0ms 15.0MB 103ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1-m.zig 63ms 0.5ms 54.3MB 123ms 33ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 66ms 1.0ms 15.5MB 50ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

lru

Input: 1000 1000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 35ms 0.8ms 2.8MB 30ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 1000 3000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 95ms 3.4ms 2.8MB 87ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 100 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 15ms 0.4ms 1.3MB 10ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

mandelbrot

Input: 5000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1-mffi.c 224ms 14ms 7.5MB 840ms 13ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1.zig 247ms 0.8ms 4.1MB 240ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 269ms 8.5ms 6.5MB 817ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1-mffi.c 330ms 1.5ms 6.0MB 320ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-ffi.c 332ms 2.8ms 6.0MB 323ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-ffi.c 452ms 0.9ms 6.5MB 440ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-ffi.c 543ms 2.3ms 6.6MB 533ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0

Input: 1000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 12ms 0.2ms 1.1MB 10ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 15ms 0.5ms 4.6MB 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 0.2ms 3.0MB 10ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 1-mffi.c 17ms 2.0ms 3.8MB 43ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1-ffi.c 21ms 0.1ms 3.5MB 10ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1-ffi.c 25ms 0.4ms 3.8MB 20ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0

merkletrees

Input: 17

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 856ms 8.4ms 41.0MB 830ms 10ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 178ms 3.3ms 11.0MB 167ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

nbody

Input: 5000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 3.zig 198ms 1.0ms 1.0MB 190ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 270ms 3.2ms 1.5MB 263ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 279ms 0.5ms 1.0MB 270ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 303ms 3.1ms 2.1MB 293ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 309ms 1.0ms 2.3MB 300ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 2.c 313ms 2.0ms 1.5MB 303ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 5.c 313ms 1.2ms 2.3MB 307ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5.c 315ms 1.6ms 1.5MB 307ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 315ms 0.7ms 1.1MB 310ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 5.c 315ms 1.6ms 2.1MB 310ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 322ms 4.3ms 2.1MB 317ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 8-i.c 337ms 1.0ms 2.3MB 330ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0

Input: 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 3.zig 21ms 0.2ms 1.0MB 10ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 29ms 0.6ms 1.5MB 20ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 30ms 0.1ms 1.0MB 20ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 8-i.c 33ms 0.2ms 2.1MB 20ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 33ms 0.3ms 1.5MB 30ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 5.c 33ms 0.3ms 2.3MB 30ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
zig 1.zig 34ms 0.6ms 1.1MB 30ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 5.c 34ms 0.4ms 1.5MB 27ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
c 2.c 34ms 0.9ms 2.3MB 27ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5.c 34ms 1.0ms 2.1MB 30ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 2.c 34ms 0.7ms 2.1MB 30ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 8-i.c 35ms 0.1ms 2.3MB 30ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0

nsieve

Input: 12

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 255ms 8.2ms 40.2MB 240ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 1.c 261ms 9.0ms 40.9MB 243ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1.c 271ms 2.2ms 41.0MB 257ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 1.c 285ms 5.2ms 40.3MB 270ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 328ms 2.8ms 6.0MB 320ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 10

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 1.c 53ms 3.0ms 11.7MB 40ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1.zig 55ms 1.4ms 10.9MB 43ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
c 1.c 55ms 2.4ms 11.6MB 43ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 1.c 58ms 2.2ms 11.0MB 47ms 0ms zigcc 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 81ms 1.1ms 2.3MB 70ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

pidigits

Input: 8000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 2458ms 11ms 2.3MB 2430ms 17ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 565ms 4.7ms 1.8MB 553ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

spectral-norm

Input: 8000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 736ms 1.2ms 2.0MB 2897ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 951ms 0.7ms 2.0MB 3743ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 999ms 19ms 2.0MB 3907ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 1002ms 3.9ms 3.3MB 3943ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 1132ms 22ms 3.4MB 4423ms 7ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 1142ms 1.9ms 2.0MB 4507ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 1330ms 4.1ms 3.3MB 5240ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 1830ms 5.6ms 3.3MB 7220ms 10ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1.zig 3684ms 1.8ms 1.4MB 3670ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 193ms 1.4ms 2.0MB 737ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 247ms 2.2ms 2.0MB 943ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 258ms 0.8ms 2.0MB 990ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 259ms 2.3ms 3.3MB 983ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 290ms 4.2ms 3.1MB 1107ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 303ms 19ms 2.0MB 1153ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 341ms 2.7ms 3.4MB 1310ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 476ms 17ms 3.3MB 1823ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1.zig 927ms 2.1ms 1.3MB 920ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 2000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
c 3-m.c 55ms 1.1ms 2.0MB 193ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 70ms 0.8ms 3.3MB 250ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 4-m.c 72ms 0.8ms 2.1MB 260ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 6-im.c 72ms 6.7ms 2.0MB 257ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 4-m.c 78ms 0.4ms 3.1MB 280ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 5-im.c 81ms 0.6ms 2.0MB 297ms 0ms gcc 15.1.0
c 5-im.c 92ms 0.5ms 3.3MB 330ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
c 3-m.c 123ms 2.1ms 3.4MB 453ms 0ms clang 14.0.0-1ubuntu1.1
zig 1.zig 232ms 0.3ms 1.3MB 220ms 0ms zig 0.14.1