Benchmark: Array vs object - MeasureThat.net

Script Preparation code:

var n = 5;
var a = [];
var obj = {};
for (var i=0; i<n; i++) {
  a[i] = i;
  obj["obj" + i] = i;
}

Tests:

Array
r = Math.floor(Math.random()*n); for (var i=0; i<n; i++) { if (a[i] == r) break; }
Object
r = Math.floor(Math.random()*n); var i = obj["obj"+r];

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Array
Object

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

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Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one year ago):

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Let's break down the provided JSON data and explain what's being tested.

**Benchmark Definition**

The benchmark is testing two approaches: using an array (`a`) versus using an object (`obj`) to store values.

**Script Preparation Code**

This code initializes variables `n`, `a` (array), and `obj` (object) with specific sizes. The loop then populates the array and object with index values from 0 to `n-1`. This creates a scenario where we can compare the performance of accessing elements in an array versus an object.

**Html Preparation Code**

This field is empty, indicating that no HTML-specific code needs to be executed before running the benchmark.

**Individual Test Cases**

There are two test cases:

1. **Array**: This test case uses a simple loop to iterate through the `a` array and checks if each element equals a randomly generated value stored in the variable `r`. If a match is found, the loop breaks.
2. **Object**: This test case does essentially the same thing as the Array test case, but instead of using an array, it accesses elements in the `obj` object using bracket notation.

**Library and Purpose**

The library used here is none explicitly mentioned, so we'll assume that the built-in JavaScript functionality is being tested. The purpose is to evaluate the performance difference between accessing elements in arrays versus objects.

**Special JS Feature or Syntax**

There isn't any specific feature or syntax being highlighted here.

Now, let's discuss the pros and cons of using an array versus an object for this benchmark:

* **Arrays**:
	+ Pros: Arrays are optimized for random access (e.g., `a[0]`, `a[n-1]`) which can lead to better performance in some cases.
	+ Cons: Array indexing is typically slower than object property lookup when the value of the property name is not a simple number or string.
* **Objects**:
	+ Pros: Object property lookup is often faster than array indexing, especially when the key is a dynamic value (e.g., `obj["key"]`).
	+ Cons: Objects are typically slower for random access compared to arrays.

The test results from MeasureThat.net show that:

* The "Object" test case outperformed the "Array" test case with an execution rate of 688200.25 executions per second versus 517141.09375.
* These results might be influenced by the specific browser and device being tested, as indicated by the "Browser", "DevicePlatform", and "OperatingSystem" fields.

**Other Alternatives**

If you want to explore alternative approaches or test different scenarios, here are some suggestions:

1. **Use a data structure like a Set**: Sets provide fast lookups but might not be the best fit for this specific benchmark.
2. **Test with nested objects**: This could help evaluate performance differences when accessing nested properties.
3. **Compare with other data structures**: You could test arrays of objects versus objects of arrays, or even compare performance with different types of data (e.g., numbers vs strings).
4. **Use a JavaScript engine that supports Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation**: Some engines might optimize the execution of this benchmark differently due to JIT compilation.

Keep in mind that these alternatives will require modifying the benchmark script and setup, which may impact the accuracy and relevance of the results.

Related benchmarks:

Array vs object (version: 0)

Comparing performance of: Array vs Object

Created: 8 years ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Array

Object

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

No previous run results

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one year ago):