Let's dive into the explanation of the provided benchmark.

Overview

The test compares two different ways to get the current timestamp in JavaScript: using the Date object with the new keyword (+new Date()) versus using the now() method (Date.now()).

Options Compared

There are two options being compared:

1. +new Date(): This method creates a new Date object and returns its value as a string. It's essentially equivalent to calling new Date().
2. Date.now(): This method returns the number of milliseconds since the Unix Epoch (January 1, 1970) as an integer.

Pros and Cons

• +new Date():
  • Pros: Can be used in arithmetic expressions and is commonly used for date-related calculations.
  • Cons: Creates a new Date object each time it's called, which can lead to increased memory usage and slower performance compared to the other option.
• Date.now():
  • Pros: More efficient and faster than creating a new Date object. It also doesn't require parsing or formatting.
  • Cons: Returns milliseconds since the Unix Epoch, so it may not be suitable for all use cases (e.g., calculating days or years).

Library

There is no external library being used in this benchmark.

Special JS Features/Syntax

None are mentioned in the provided code snippets.