Benchmark: Spread vs. Apply

Script Preparation code:

var arr = [];
for (var i = 0; i < 2048; i++) {
  arr.push(Math.floor(Math.random() * 4096));
}

Tests:

Apply
Math.max.apply(arr);
Spread
Math.max(...arr)

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Apply
Spread

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

No previous run results

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

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

Let's break down the provided benchmark definition and test cases to understand what is being tested.

**Benchmark Definition:**

The benchmark measures the performance difference between two ways of calling the `Math.max` function on an array:

1. Using `Math.max.apply(arr);`
2. Using `Math.max(...arr)`

These are essentially the same function call, but with different syntaxes.

**Spread vs. Apply:**

Now, let's dive into what each approach does and their pros/cons:

1. **Apply:** The `apply` method is used to invoke a function with a given this value and arguments provided as an array. In this case, it calls `Math.max` on the entire array (`arr`) and returns the maximum value.
	* Pros: Can be more efficient when working with large arrays or objects, as it avoids creating multiple intermediate arrays.
	* Cons: May have performance overhead due to the function invocation and argument passing.
2. **Spread:** The spread operator (`...`) is used to expand an array into individual arguments. In this case, it calls `Math.max` on each element of the array individually, without invoking a separate function.
	* Pros: Can be more efficient in terms of function call overhead, as it avoids invoking `Math.max`.
	* Cons: May have performance overhead due to the repeated function calls.

**Other Considerations:**

When choosing between these two approaches, consider the following factors:

* Array size and complexity
* Function call overhead
* Performance requirements

In general, if you need to perform a single operation on an array and don't mind the slightly slower function call overhead, using `Math.max.apply(arr);` might be a better choice. However, if you need to perform multiple operations on each element of the array or have large arrays, using `Math.max(...arr)()` might be more efficient.

**Library:**

There is no library used in this benchmark definition. The test cases only involve standard JavaScript functions and operators.

**Special JS feature or syntax:**

The use of the spread operator (`...`) is a recent feature introduced in ECMAScript 2015 (ES6). It allows for concise array expansion, making it easier to work with arrays.

**Alternatives:**

If you need to measure performance differences between similar function calls on arrays, here are some alternative benchmark definitions:

* Using `Math.max.call(arr)`: This uses the `call` method instead of `apply`, which is another way to invoke a function on an object.
* Using `Array.prototype.reduce()`: Instead of calling `Math.max` directly, you can use the `reduce` method to find the maximum value in an array.

Related benchmarks:

Spread vs. Apply (version: 0)

Comparing performance of: Apply vs Spread

Created: 8 years ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Apply

Spread

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):