test-zig-cc/README.md

bazel-zig-cc and llvm
---------------------

bazel-zig-cc has a performance issue when compiling many files. This repository
reproduces that.

The test
--------

Compiles 64 small binaries with [bazel-zig-cc][1] and [llvm14][2]. The tests
were run on an x86_64 8-core machine running Ubuntu 22.04.

Results
-------

    Benchmark 1: bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=local //...
      Time (mean ± σ):      9.257 s ±  0.287 s    [User: 0.083 s, System: 0.026 s]
      Range (min … max):    8.818 s …  9.515 s    5 runs

    Benchmark 2: bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28 --spawn_strategy=local //...
      Time (mean ± σ):      9.613 s ±  0.214 s    [User: 0.077 s, System: 0.038 s]
      Range (min … max):    9.418 s …  9.866 s    5 runs

    Benchmark 3: bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...
      Time (mean ± σ):     13.314 s ±  0.201 s    [User: 0.109 s, System: 0.028 s]
      Range (min … max):   13.093 s … 13.536 s    5 runs

    Benchmark 4: bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28 --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...
      Time (mean ± σ):     13.829 s ±  0.376 s    [User: 0.093 s, System: 0.046 s]
      Range (min … max):   13.573 s … 14.489 s    5 runs

    Benchmark 5: bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed //...
      Time (mean ± σ):     35.101 s ±  0.365 s    [User: 0.103 s, System: 0.028 s]
      Range (min … max):   34.747 s … 35.673 s    5 runs

    Benchmark 6: bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28 --spawn_strategy=sandboxed //...
      Time (mean ± σ):     21.071 s ±  0.378 s    [User: 0.091 s, System: 0.034 s]
      Range (min … max):   20.611 s … 21.635 s    5 runs

    Summary
                                      'bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=local //...' ran
        1.04 ± 0.04 times faster than 'bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=local //...'
        1.44 ± 0.05 times faster than 'bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...'
        1.49 ± 0.06 times faster than 'bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...'
        2.28 ± 0.08 times faster than 'bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=sandboxed //...'
        3.79 ± 0.12 times faster than 'bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed //...'


| Command | Mean [s] | Min [s] | Max [s] | Relative |
|:---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| `bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=local                                              //...` |  9.257 ± 0.287 |  8.818 |  9.515 | 1.00 |
| `bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=local                                              //...` |  9.613 ± 0.214 |  9.418 |  9.866 | 1.04 ± 0.04 |
| `bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...` | 13.314 ± 0.201 | 13.093 | 13.536 | 1.44 ± 0.05 |
| `bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories //...` | 13.829 ± 0.376 | 13.573 | 14.489 | 1.49 ± 0.06 |
| `bazel build --extra_toolchains=@llvm_toolchain_with_sysroot//:cc-toolchain-x86_64-linux --spawn_strategy=sandboxed                                          //...` | 35.101 ± 0.365 | 34.747 | 35.673 | 3.79 ± 0.12 |
| `bazel build --platforms=@zig_sdk//libc_aware/platform:linux_amd64_gnu.2.28              --spawn_strategy=sandboxed                                          //...` | 21.071 ± 0.378 | 20.611 | 21.635 | 2.28 ± 0.08 |

Explanation:

* `--spawn_strategy=local` is the baseline. This is the fastest possible
  approach (no sandbox), but does never runs in production.
* `--spawn_strategy=sandboxed` is the default for Bazel. This is what happens
  if one does not pass any arguments.
* `--spawn_strategy=sandboxed --experimental_reuse_sandbox_directories` is an
  optimization which is meaningful on sandboxes with many files. As of Bazel 6
  this has been [promoted to stable][3], so safe to use and, as one can see in
  the numbers, recommended with both bazel-zig-cc and a nontrivial sysroot. As
  a result, this is the most important benchmark to look at.

Flame graphs and discussion
---------------------------

Flame graphs in results/. Only of historical interest, because the original
performance issues have been resolved with a combination of zig and
bazel-zig-cc changes.

[1]: https://sr.ht/~motiejus/bazel-zig-cc
[2]: https://github.com/grailbio/bazel-toolchain
[3]: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/16138