# cargo-bench(1)

## NAME

cargo-bench --- Execute benchmarks of a package

## SYNOPSIS

`cargo bench` [_options_] [_benchname_] [`--` _bench-options_]

## DESCRIPTION

Compile and execute benchmarks.

The benchmark filtering argument _benchname_ and all the arguments following
the two dashes (`--`) are passed to the benchmark binaries and thus to
_libtest_ (rustc's built in unit-test and micro-benchmarking framework). If
you are passing arguments to both Cargo and the binary, the ones after `--` go
to the binary, the ones before go to Cargo. For details about libtest's
arguments see the output of `cargo bench -- --help` and check out the rustc
book's chapter on how tests work at
<https://doc.rust-lang.org/rustc/tests/index.html>.

As an example, this will run only the benchmark named `foo` (and skip other
similarly named benchmarks like `foobar`):

    cargo bench -- foo --exact

Benchmarks are built with the `--test` option to `rustc` which creates a
special executable by linking your code with libtest. The executable
automatically runs all functions annotated with the `#[bench]` attribute.
Cargo passes the `--bench` flag to the test harness to tell it to run
only benchmarks.

The libtest harness may be disabled by setting `harness = false` in the target
manifest settings, in which case your code will need to provide its own `main`
function to handle running benchmarks.

> **Note**: The
> [`#[bench]` attribute](https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/unstable-book/library-features/test.html)
> is currently unstable and only available on the
> [nightly channel](https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/appendix-07-nightly-rust.html).
> There are some packages available on
> [crates.io](https://crates.io/keywords/benchmark) that may help with
> running benchmarks on the stable channel, such as
> [Criterion](https://crates.io/crates/criterion).

By default, `cargo bench` uses the [`bench` profile], which enables
optimizations and disables debugging information. If you need to debug a
benchmark, you can use the `--profile=dev` command-line option to switch to
the dev profile. You can then run the debug-enabled benchmark within a
debugger.

[`bench` profile]: ../reference/profiles.html#bench

### Working directory of benchmarks

The working directory of every benchmark is set to the root directory of the 
package the benchmark belongs to.
Setting the working directory of benchmarks to the package's root directory 
makes it possible for benchmarks to reliably access the package's files using 
relative paths, regardless from where `cargo bench` was executed from.

## OPTIONS

### Benchmark Options

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---no-run"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---no-run"></a><code>--no-run</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Compile, but don’t run benchmarks.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---no-fail-fast"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---no-fail-fast"></a><code>--no-fail-fast</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Run all benchmarks regardless of failure. Without this flag, Cargo will exit
after the first executable fails. The Rust test harness will run all benchmarks
within the executable to completion, this flag only applies to the executable
as a whole.</dd>


</dl>


### Package Selection

By default, when no package selection options are given, the packages selected
depend on the selected manifest file (based on the current working directory if
`--manifest-path` is not given). If the manifest is the root of a workspace then
the workspaces default members are selected, otherwise only the package defined
by the manifest will be selected.

The default members of a workspace can be set explicitly with the
`workspace.default-members` key in the root manifest. If this is not set, a
virtual workspace will include all workspace members (equivalent to passing
`--workspace`), and a non-virtual workspace will include only the root crate itself.

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--p"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--p"></a><code>-p</code> <em>spec</em>…</dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---package"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---package"></a><code>--package</code> <em>spec</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark only the specified packages. See <a href="cargo-pkgid.html">cargo-pkgid(1)</a> for the
SPEC format. This flag may be specified multiple times and supports common Unix
glob patterns like <code>*</code>, <code>?</code> and <code>[]</code>. However, to avoid your shell accidentally 
expanding glob patterns before Cargo handles them, you must use single quotes or
double quotes around each pattern.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---workspace"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---workspace"></a><code>--workspace</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all members in the workspace.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---all"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---all"></a><code>--all</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Deprecated alias for <code>--workspace</code>.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---exclude"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---exclude"></a><code>--exclude</code> <em>SPEC</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Exclude the specified packages. Must be used in conjunction with the
<code>--workspace</code> flag. This flag may be specified multiple times and supports
common Unix glob patterns like <code>*</code>, <code>?</code> and <code>[]</code>. However, to avoid your shell
accidentally expanding glob patterns before Cargo handles them, you must use
single quotes or double quotes around each pattern.</dd>


</dl>


### Target Selection

When no target selection options are given, `cargo bench` will build the
following targets of the selected packages:

- lib --- used to link with binaries and benchmarks
- bins (only if benchmark targets are built and required features are
  available)
- lib as a benchmark
- bins as benchmarks
- benchmark targets

The default behavior can be changed by setting the `bench` flag for the target
in the manifest settings. Setting examples to `bench = true` will build and
run the example as a benchmark, replacing the example's `main` function with
the libtest harness.

Setting targets to `bench = false` will stop them from being bencharmked by
default. Target selection options that take a target by name (such as
`--example foo`) ignore the `bench` flag and will always benchmark the given
target.

See [Configuring a target](../reference/cargo-targets.html#configuring-a-target)
for more information on per-target settings.

Binary targets are automatically built if there is an integration test or
benchmark being selected to benchmark. This allows an integration
test to execute the binary to exercise and test its behavior. 
The `CARGO_BIN_EXE_<name>`
[environment variable](../reference/environment-variables.html#environment-variables-cargo-sets-for-crates)
is set when the integration test is built so that it can use the
[`env` macro](https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/macro.env.html) to locate the
executable.


Passing target selection flags will benchmark only the specified
targets. 

Note that `--bin`, `--example`, `--test` and `--bench` flags also 
support common Unix glob patterns like `*`, `?` and `[]`. However, to avoid your 
shell accidentally expanding glob patterns before Cargo handles them, you must 
use single quotes or double quotes around each glob pattern.

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---lib"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---lib"></a><code>--lib</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the package’s library.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---bin"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---bin"></a><code>--bin</code> <em>name</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the specified binary. This flag may be specified multiple times
and supports common Unix glob patterns.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---bins"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---bins"></a><code>--bins</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all binary targets.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---example"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---example"></a><code>--example</code> <em>name</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the specified example. This flag may be specified multiple times
and supports common Unix glob patterns.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---examples"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---examples"></a><code>--examples</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all example targets.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---test"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---test"></a><code>--test</code> <em>name</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the specified integration test. This flag may be specified
multiple times and supports common Unix glob patterns.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---tests"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---tests"></a><code>--tests</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all targets in test mode that have the <code>test = true</code> manifest
flag set. By default this includes the library and binaries built as
unittests, and integration tests. Be aware that this will also build any
required dependencies, so the lib target may be built twice (once as a
unittest, and once as a dependency for binaries, integration tests, etc.).
Targets may be enabled or disabled by setting the <code>test</code> flag in the
manifest settings for the target.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---bench"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---bench"></a><code>--bench</code> <em>name</em>…</dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the specified benchmark. This flag may be specified multiple
times and supports common Unix glob patterns.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---benches"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---benches"></a><code>--benches</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all targets in benchmark mode that have the <code>bench = true</code>
manifest flag set. By default this includes the library and binaries built
as benchmarks, and bench targets. Be aware that this will also build any
required dependencies, so the lib target may be built twice (once as a
benchmark, and once as a dependency for binaries, benchmarks, etc.).
Targets may be enabled or disabled by setting the <code>bench</code> flag in the
manifest settings for the target.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---all-targets"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---all-targets"></a><code>--all-targets</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark all targets. This is equivalent to specifying <code>--lib --bins --tests --benches --examples</code>.</dd>


</dl>


### Feature Selection

The feature flags allow you to control which features are enabled. When no
feature options are given, the `default` feature is activated for every
selected package.

See [the features documentation](../reference/features.html#command-line-feature-options)
for more details.

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--F"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--F"></a><code>-F</code> <em>features</em></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---features"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---features"></a><code>--features</code> <em>features</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Space or comma separated list of features to activate. Features of workspace
members may be enabled with <code>package-name/feature-name</code> syntax. This flag may
be specified multiple times, which enables all specified features.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---all-features"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---all-features"></a><code>--all-features</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Activate all available features of all selected packages.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---no-default-features"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---no-default-features"></a><code>--no-default-features</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Do not activate the <code>default</code> feature of the selected packages.</dd>


</dl>


### Compilation Options

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---target"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---target"></a><code>--target</code> <em>triple</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark for the given architecture. The default is the host architecture. The general format of the triple is
<code>&lt;arch&gt;&lt;sub&gt;-&lt;vendor&gt;-&lt;sys&gt;-&lt;abi&gt;</code>. Run <code>rustc --print target-list</code> for a
list of supported targets. This flag may be specified multiple times.</p>
<p>This may also be specified with the <code>build.target</code>
<a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.</p>
<p>Note that specifying this flag makes Cargo run in a different mode where the
target artifacts are placed in a separate directory. See the
<a href="../guide/build-cache.html">build cache</a> documentation for more details.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---profile"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---profile"></a><code>--profile</code> <em>name</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark with the given profile.
See the <a href="../reference/profiles.html">the reference</a> for more details on profiles.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---ignore-rust-version"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---ignore-rust-version"></a><code>--ignore-rust-version</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Benchmark the target even if the selected Rust compiler is older than the
required Rust version as configured in the project’s <code>rust-version</code> field.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---timings=fmts"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---timings=fmts"></a><code>--timings=</code><em>fmts</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Output information how long each compilation takes, and track concurrency
information over time. Accepts an optional comma-separated list of output
formats; <code>--timings</code> without an argument will default to <code>--timings=html</code>.
Specifying an output format (rather than the default) is unstable and requires
<code>-Zunstable-options</code>. Valid output formats:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>html</code> (unstable, requires <code>-Zunstable-options</code>): Write a human-readable file <code>cargo-timing.html</code> to the
<code>target/cargo-timings</code> directory with a report of the compilation. Also write
a report to the same directory with a timestamp in the filename if you want
to look at older runs. HTML output is suitable for human consumption only,
and does not provide machine-readable timing data.</li>
<li><code>json</code> (unstable, requires <code>-Zunstable-options</code>): Emit machine-readable JSON
information about timing information.</li>
</ul></dd>




</dl>

### Output Options

<dl>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---target-dir"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---target-dir"></a><code>--target-dir</code> <em>directory</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Directory for all generated artifacts and intermediate files. May also be
specified with the <code>CARGO_TARGET_DIR</code> environment variable, or the
<code>build.target-dir</code> <a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.
Defaults to <code>target</code> in the root of the workspace.</dd>


</dl>

### Display Options

By default the Rust test harness hides output from benchmark execution to keep
results readable. Benchmark output can be recovered (e.g., for debugging) by
passing `--nocapture` to the benchmark binaries:

    cargo bench -- --nocapture

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--v"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--v"></a><code>-v</code></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---verbose"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---verbose"></a><code>--verbose</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Use verbose output. May be specified twice for “very verbose” output which
includes extra output such as dependency warnings and build script output.
May also be specified with the <code>term.verbose</code>
<a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--q"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--q"></a><code>-q</code></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---quiet"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---quiet"></a><code>--quiet</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Do not print cargo log messages.
May also be specified with the <code>term.quiet</code>
<a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---color"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---color"></a><code>--color</code> <em>when</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Control when colored output is used. Valid values:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>auto</code> (default): Automatically detect if color support is available on the
terminal.</li>
<li><code>always</code>: Always display colors.</li>
<li><code>never</code>: Never display colors.</li>
</ul>
<p>May also be specified with the <code>term.color</code>
<a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---message-format"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---message-format"></a><code>--message-format</code> <em>fmt</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">The output format for diagnostic messages. Can be specified multiple times
and consists of comma-separated values. Valid values:</p>
<ul>
<li><code>human</code> (default): Display in a human-readable text format. Conflicts with
<code>short</code> and <code>json</code>.</li>
<li><code>short</code>: Emit shorter, human-readable text messages. Conflicts with <code>human</code>
and <code>json</code>.</li>
<li><code>json</code>: Emit JSON messages to stdout. See
<a href="../reference/external-tools.html#json-messages">the reference</a>
for more details. Conflicts with <code>human</code> and <code>short</code>.</li>
<li><code>json-diagnostic-short</code>: Ensure the <code>rendered</code> field of JSON messages contains
the “short” rendering from rustc. Cannot be used with <code>human</code> or <code>short</code>.</li>
<li><code>json-diagnostic-rendered-ansi</code>: Ensure the <code>rendered</code> field of JSON messages
contains embedded ANSI color codes for respecting rustc’s default color
scheme. Cannot be used with <code>human</code> or <code>short</code>.</li>
<li><code>json-render-diagnostics</code>: Instruct Cargo to not include rustc diagnostics
in JSON messages printed, but instead Cargo itself should render the
JSON diagnostics coming from rustc. Cargo’s own JSON diagnostics and others
coming from rustc are still emitted. Cannot be used with <code>human</code> or <code>short</code>.</li>
</ul></dd>



</dl>

### Manifest Options

<dl>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---manifest-path"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---manifest-path"></a><code>--manifest-path</code> <em>path</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Path to the <code>Cargo.toml</code> file. By default, Cargo searches for the
<code>Cargo.toml</code> file in the current directory or any parent directory.</dd>



<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---frozen"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---frozen"></a><code>--frozen</code></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---locked"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---locked"></a><code>--locked</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Either of these flags requires that the <code>Cargo.lock</code> file is
up-to-date. If the lock file is missing, or it needs to be updated, Cargo will
exit with an error. The <code>--frozen</code> flag also prevents Cargo from
attempting to access the network to determine if it is out-of-date.</p>
<p>These may be used in environments where you want to assert that the
<code>Cargo.lock</code> file is up-to-date (such as a CI build) or want to avoid network
access.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---offline"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---offline"></a><code>--offline</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Prevents Cargo from accessing the network for any reason. Without this
flag, Cargo will stop with an error if it needs to access the network and
the network is not available. With this flag, Cargo will attempt to
proceed without the network if possible.</p>
<p>Beware that this may result in different dependency resolution than online
mode. Cargo will restrict itself to crates that are downloaded locally, even
if there might be a newer version as indicated in the local copy of the index.
See the <a href="cargo-fetch.html">cargo-fetch(1)</a> command to download dependencies before going
offline.</p>
<p>May also be specified with the <code>net.offline</code> <a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>.</dd>


</dl>

### Common Options

<dl>

<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench-+toolchain"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench-+toolchain"></a><code>+</code><em>toolchain</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">If Cargo has been installed with rustup, and the first argument to <code>cargo</code>
begins with <code>+</code>, it will be interpreted as a rustup toolchain name (such
as <code>+stable</code> or <code>+nightly</code>).
See the <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/rustup/overrides.html">rustup documentation</a>
for more information about how toolchain overrides work.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---config"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---config"></a><code>--config</code> <em>KEY=VALUE</em> or <em>PATH</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Overrides a Cargo configuration value. The argument should be in TOML syntax of <code>KEY=VALUE</code>,
or provided as a path to an extra configuration file. This flag may be specified multiple times.
See the <a href="../reference/config.html#command-line-overrides">command-line overrides section</a> for more information.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--C"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--C"></a><code>-C</code> <em>PATH</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Changes the current working directory before executing any specified operations. This affects
things like where cargo looks by default for the project manifest (<code>Cargo.toml</code>), as well as
the directories searched for discovering <code>.cargo/config.toml</code>, for example. This option must
appear before the command name, for example <code>cargo -C path/to/my-project build</code>.</p>
<p>This option is only available on the <a href="https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/appendix-07-nightly-rust.html">nightly
channel</a> and
requires the <code>-Z unstable-options</code> flag to enable (see
<a href="https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/10098">#10098</a>).</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--h"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--h"></a><code>-h</code></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---help"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---help"></a><code>--help</code></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Prints help information.</dd>


<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--Z"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--Z"></a><code>-Z</code> <em>flag</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Unstable (nightly-only) flags to Cargo. Run <code>cargo -Z help</code> for details.</dd>


</dl>


### Miscellaneous Options

The `--jobs` argument affects the building of the benchmark executable but
does not affect how many threads are used when running the benchmarks. The
Rust test harness runs benchmarks serially in a single thread.

<dl>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench--j"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench--j"></a><code>-j</code> <em>N</em></dt>
<dt class="option-term" id="option-cargo-bench---jobs"><a class="option-anchor" href="#option-cargo-bench---jobs"></a><code>--jobs</code> <em>N</em></dt>
<dd class="option-desc">Number of parallel jobs to run. May also be specified with the
<code>build.jobs</code> <a href="../reference/config.html">config value</a>. Defaults to
the number of logical CPUs. If negative, it sets the maximum number of
parallel jobs to the number of logical CPUs plus provided value. If
a string <code>default</code> is provided, it sets the value back to defaults.
Should not be 0.</dd>


</dl>

While `cargo bench` involves compilation, it does not provide a `--keep-going`
flag. Use `--no-fail-fast` to run as many benchmarks as possible without
stopping at the first failure. To "compile" as many benchmarks as possible, use
`--benches` to build benchmark binaries separately. For example:

    cargo build --benches --release --keep-going
    cargo bench --no-fail-fast

## ENVIRONMENT

See [the reference](../reference/environment-variables.html) for
details on environment variables that Cargo reads.


## EXIT STATUS

* `0`: Cargo succeeded.
* `101`: Cargo failed to complete.


## EXAMPLES

1. Build and execute all the benchmarks of the current package:

       cargo bench

2. Run only a specific benchmark within a specific benchmark target:

       cargo bench --bench bench_name -- modname::some_benchmark

## SEE ALSO
[cargo(1)](cargo.html), [cargo-test(1)](cargo-test.html)
