Zig VS Python 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
python 1.py 1162ms 7.5ms 96.8MB 1097ms 47ms pypy 3.11.13
zig 1.zig 1872ms 186ms 49.0MB 1840ms 17ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 41.0MB 4973ms 10ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 40.5MB 4743ms 240ms pyston 3.8.12

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
python 1.py 94ms 1.5ms 68.2MB 67ms 13ms pypy 3.11.13
zig 1.zig 152ms 2.9ms 7.0MB 140ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 478ms 3.6ms 11.9MB 457ms 10ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 727ms 3.3ms 12.9MB 717ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

edigits

Input: 250001

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
python 1.py 266ms 3.3ms 84.9MB 227ms 20ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 362ms 3.7ms 12.6MB 347ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py 2007ms 3.9ms 9.6MB 1993ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
zig 1.zig 2260ms 7.9ms 2.5MB 2237ms 10ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 100000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
python 1.py 113ms 2.9ms 65.3MB 87ms 13ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 134ms 46ms 12.3MB 100ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py 349ms 2.6ms 8.8MB 340ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
zig 1.zig 382ms 1.1ms 1.9MB 367ms 3ms 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 637ms 8.5ms 1.4MB 2413ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 3-i.zig 1765ms 1.9ms 1.0MB 1757ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 2719ms 3.6ms 1.0MB 2710ms 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 0.6ms 1.4MB 200ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 3-i.zig 147ms 0.3ms 1.0MB 140ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 229ms 2.1ms 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 88ms 0.8ms 1.0MB 80ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 2206ms 28ms 89.1MB 2163ms 33ms pypy 3.11.13
python 5-m.py 2331ms 44ms 66.1MB 3597ms 827ms pypy 3.11.13
python 5-m.py 2434ms 24ms 12.5MB 3547ms 953ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 3030ms 35ms 8.1MB 3013ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 5-m.py 3359ms 19ms 13.8MB 4437ms 910ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py 4658ms 45ms 9.0MB 4647ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

Input: 250000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 11ms 0.8ms 1.0MB 0ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 279ms 5.1ms 63.3MB 253ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 5-m.py 310ms 3.6ms 12.5MB 397ms 147ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 314ms 1.1ms 8.1MB 300ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 5-m.py 393ms 1.0ms 13.8MB 473ms 127ms cpython 3.13.5
python 5-m.py 449ms 2.7ms 66.2MB 743ms 297ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 486ms 1.2ms 9.0MB 473ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

helloworld

Input: QwQ

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 0.9ms 0.0ms 1.1MB 0ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 12ms 0.8ms 7.6MB 0ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 14ms 1.2ms 8.8MB 10ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py 30ms 0.8ms 52.3MB 10ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13

knucleotide

Input: 2500000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1-m.zig 318ms 0.8ms 67.1MB 840ms 23ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 499ms 2.8ms 28.0MB 477ms 13ms zig 0.14.1
python 3-m.py 2341ms 4.1ms 136.0MB 7903ms 333ms pypy 3.11.13
python 3-m.py 3129ms 44ms 34.2MB 11863ms 123ms pyston 3.8.12
python 3.py timeout 0.0ms 35.8MB 90ms 20ms cpython 3.13.5

Input: 250000_in

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1-m.zig 65ms 1.8ms 54.3MB 133ms 33ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 66ms 2.2ms 15.4MB 50ms 3ms zig 0.14.1
python 3-m.py 390ms 0.6ms 76.7MB 980ms 150ms pypy 3.11.13
python 3-m.py 395ms 4.5ms 14.3MB 1297ms 80ms pyston 3.8.12
python 3-m.py 660ms 11ms 15.2MB 2320ms 67ms cpython 3.13.5

lru

Input: 1000 1000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 33ms 1.2ms 2.8MB 27ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 2.py 154ms 2.4ms 58.9MB 130ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 187ms 3.8ms 59.8MB 160ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 730ms 3.4ms 8.9MB 720ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py 845ms 19ms 8.5MB 833ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 1136ms 8.0ms 9.5MB 1123ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py 1323ms 19ms 9.3MB 1310ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

Input: 1000 3000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 95ms 1.5ms 2.8MB 87ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 2.py 361ms 2.1ms 59.7MB 330ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 401ms 4.8ms 60.9MB 377ms 13ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 2157ms 16ms 8.9MB 2143ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py 2513ms 23ms 8.5MB 2503ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 3335ms 53ms 9.5MB 3320ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py 3942ms 29ms 9.3MB 3930ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

Input: 100 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 16ms 1.1ms 1.3MB 10ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 2.py 109ms 3.1ms 58.1MB 87ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 124ms 3.2ms 59.4MB 103ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 361ms 6.0ms 8.5MB 347ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py 388ms 3.0ms 8.1MB 377ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 534ms 6.3ms 9.3MB 523ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py 638ms 7.1ms 8.9MB 627ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

mandelbrot

Input: 5000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 247ms 0.5ms 4.1MB 240ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

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

merkletrees

Input: 17

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 866ms 9.9ms 41.0MB 833ms 17ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 2184ms 9.5ms 204.9MB 2073ms 97ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 94.1MB 4960ms 27ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 130.4MB 4940ms 47ms pyston 3.8.12

Input: 15

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 175ms 2.1ms 11.0MB 160ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 378ms 3.7ms 105.2MB 320ms 47ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 2994ms 19ms 37.4MB 2970ms 10ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 48.9MB 4943ms 43ms pyston 3.8.12

nbody

Input: 5000000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 3.zig 198ms 1.1ms 1.0MB 190ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 280ms 0.5ms 1.0MB 270ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 315ms 0.8ms 1.1MB 303ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 2.py 1348ms 4.2ms 60.6MB 1320ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 2705ms 69ms 57.8MB 2677ms 13ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 8.9MB 4990ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py timeout 0.0ms 9.0MB 4990ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 8.3MB 4990ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py timeout 0.0ms 8.1MB 4990ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12

Input: 500000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 3.zig 22ms 0.3ms 1.0MB 10ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 30ms 0.1ms 1.0MB 20ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 1.zig 34ms 0.6ms 1.1MB 30ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 2.py 178ms 3.3ms 58.3MB 153ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 309ms 4.0ms 57.8MB 287ms 10ms pypy 3.11.13
python 1.py 936ms 11ms 8.3MB 927ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py 1312ms 18ms 8.3MB 1300ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 2893ms 26ms 8.9MB 2883ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py 3043ms 14ms 9.0MB 3030ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5

nsieve

Input: 12

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 270ms 5.1ms 40.2MB 257ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 330ms 3.2ms 6.0MB 320ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 2498ms 18ms 369.9MB 2430ms 53ms pypy 3.11.13
python 2.py 2971ms 13ms 632.9MB 2787ms 167ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 4747ms 19ms 320.5MB 4687ms 47ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py timeout 0.0ms 321.4MB 4960ms 23ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py timeout 0.0ms 633.8MB 4823ms 163ms cpython 3.13.5
python 2.py timeout 0.0ms 1017.5MB 4707ms 280ms pypy 3.11.13

Input: 10

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 52ms 2.0ms 10.9MB 40ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
zig 2.zig 80ms 1.1ms 2.3MB 70ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 1.py 525ms 4.9ms 135.5MB 487ms 20ms pypy 3.11.13
python 2.py 721ms 2.3ms 164.2MB 670ms 33ms pyston 3.8.12
python 1.py 1066ms 26ms 86.0MB 1043ms 10ms pyston 3.8.12
python 2.py 1385ms 12ms 290.8MB 1297ms 73ms pypy 3.11.13
python 2.py 1398ms 5.5ms 165.1MB 1353ms 30ms cpython 3.13.5
python 1.py 2846ms 21ms 87.0MB 2817ms 10ms cpython 3.13.5

pidigits

Input: 8000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
python 4.py 1921ms 13ms 8.9MB 1873ms 33ms pyston 3.8.12
python 4.py 1974ms 0.7ms 9.5MB 1920ms 40ms cpython 3.13.5
python 4.py 2156ms 3.3ms 89.6MB 2117ms 27ms pypy 3.11.13
zig 1.zig 2450ms 12ms 2.2MB 2420ms 17ms zig 0.14.1

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
python 4.py 454ms 1.7ms 8.6MB 440ms 0ms pyston 3.8.12
python 4.py 470ms 3.8ms 9.4MB 457ms 0ms cpython 3.13.5
python 4.py 541ms 4.5ms 83.8MB 503ms 23ms pypy 3.11.13
zig 1.zig 569ms 4.0ms 1.8MB 560ms 0ms zig 0.14.1

spectral-norm

Input: 8000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 3686ms 3.7ms 1.4MB 3677ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 14.8MB 33ms 10ms cpython 3.13.5
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 94.7MB 680ms 60ms pypy 3.11.13
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 14.2MB 33ms 13ms pyston 3.8.12

Input: 4000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 925ms 2.6ms 1.3MB 917ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 14.5MB 43ms 10ms cpython 3.13.5
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 97.8MB 1170ms 147ms pypy 3.11.13
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 13.6MB 57ms 20ms pyston 3.8.12

Input: 2000

lang code time stddev peak-mem mem time(user) time(sys) compiler compiler/runtime
zig 1.zig 235ms 0.4ms 1.3MB 230ms 0ms zig 0.14.1
python 8-m.py 2134ms 4.9ms 94.1MB 7090ms 240ms pypy 3.11.13
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 14.0MB 87ms 17ms cpython 3.13.5
python 8.py timeout 0.0ms 13.2MB 133ms 33ms pyston 3.8.12