Measure number of CPU cycles from Python

Mesures the number of cycles from start untill the end of the exectuion of a code block. Corrects the measurement for the overhead for accessing the RDTSCP.

Usage:

from cpu_measure import Measure 
measure = Measure()

with measure:
    find_kth_prime(k)

measure.cycles # Cycles taken
# 271828182845

with measure:
    find_kth_prime(k + 1)

measure.cycles # Increments the counter
#  314159265358

Installation

pip intall cpu-measure

Details

The library uses RDTSCP instruction to read the TSP register. Note that the number of cycles is counted from the start utill the end of the execution of the code block. One should be careful when interpreting results of long-running tasks, especially that invlole IO. The current thread can be put to sleep by the OS, and another thread may be scheduled. In the meatime the TSP register will be being kept inctemented, and this will be refleted in the measurement. For CPU bound tasks measruments are correct, again, unless a thread has been rescheduled.

Building

Build requirements:

• setuptools

Build with pip (installs build-time requirements automatically)

pip install .

Testing

The library must be built first.

python -m test