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Code & Deliverynoun|verb · /ˈbɛntʃmɑːrk/

benchmark

In simple English

In software development, benchmarking is the practice of running tests to measure how fast, efficient, or well your code performs. You might benchmark a database query to see how many operations per second it can handle, or benchmark a new algorithm against the old one to prove it is faster. Teams use benchmarks to make data-driven decisions about optimization, to track performance over time, and to ensure new changes do not slow down the system. Benchmarking is critical before shipping production code because it provides concrete evidence of whether your changes improve or harm performance.

Understanding how to measure and test code performance against standard reference points in software development.

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness4/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓Run a benchmark to see the results
✓The benchmark shows our code is 30% faster
✓We need to set a benchmark before optimization

Real examples

in a standup

"I benchmarked the API endpoint and it handles about 5,000 requests per second."

in a code review

"Did you benchmark this new sorting algorithm against the previous implementation?"

in a team meeting

"Our latest optimization improved the benchmark results by 40% compared to last quarter."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse benchmark with a benchmark number (a specific measurement). Benchmark is the process of testing or comparing, not just the result.

✕We need to benchmark if this code works.
✓We need to benchmark the performance of this code.— Benchmark tests performance and speed, not whether code works. Use test or verify for that.
✕This is a benchmark code.
✓This is the benchmark result or This is the code we are benchmarking.— Benchmark is the test or measurement, not the code itself.
✕Let us benchmark this later.
✓Let us run a benchmark before we deploy.— Benchmarking should happen before production deployment to catch performance issues early.

Other forms

noun

benchmark

"The benchmark shows that our response time improved by 2 milliseconds."

verb

benchmark

"We will benchmark the new database engine against the old one."

verb past tense

benchmarked

"I benchmarked three different libraries to find the fastest one."

noun

benchmarking

"Benchmarking is an essential part of performance optimization."

Often used with

run a benchmarkTo execute a performance test; most common phrasing
benchmark resultsThe data or numbers produced by a benchmark test
benchmark againstTo compare performance using something as a reference standard
set a benchmarkTo establish a reference point or standard for comparison
performance benchmarkA test specifically measuring how fast or efficient something is

Similar words

testBroader term; benchmark is a specific type of performance test
measureSimilar but less specific; benchmark includes comparison to a standard
profilingSimilar in software context; profiling analyzes resource usage while benchmarking focuses on speed/throughput

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your team optimized a critical function. What do you say next?

Complete the sentence

2. We should _______ the new caching layer before deploying to production.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses benchmark incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in natural tech English: We need to test how fast the new search feature is compared to the old one.

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "benchmark" in a standup this week?

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