The benchmark conducted on MeasureThat.net compares the performance of two different methods for converting a number to a string in JavaScript: toString() and toFixed(). The focus is on how efficiently these methods handle numbers with many decimal places in the context of JavaScript execution.

Benchmark Overview

1. Benchmark Name: "float toString() vs toFixed() for a number with many decimals"
2. Test Cases:
   • toString(): This method converts a number to a string without specifying the number of decimal places.
   • toFixed(4): This method converts a number to a string representation with exactly four decimal places, rounding as necessary.

Performance Results

• The results indicate that toString() executed approximately 5,903,817 operations per second.
• The toFixed(4) method executed slightly lower at around 5,782,441 operations per second.

Pros and Cons of Each Method

1. toString():

   • Pros:
     • Generally faster as it does not require formatting or rounding of decimal places.
     • Simple and sufficient for converting a number to string when exact formatting is not necessary.
   • Cons:
     • It does not provide any control over the number of decimal places or the format, which can lead to longer or variable-length string outputs.

2. toFixed(4):

   • Pros:
     • Provides precise control over the output format by allowing a specified number of decimal points. Ideal for cases where fixed-point representation is required (e.g., financial applications).
     • Ensures consistent string lengths, which can be essential in certain applications.
   • Cons:
     • Slightly slower due to rounding operations and string formatting.
     • If used improperly, can lead to unintuitive results for values that are large or very small (e.g., rounding issues).

Additional Considerations

• Context of Use:

  • The choice between these methods largely depends on the application's requirements. If a specific formatted output is not needed, toString() is preferable for performance. If specific decimal representation is crucial, toFixed() is necessary despite its minor impact on performance.

• Alternatives:

  • In addition to these two methods, developers can consider other libraries or built-in functionality like:
    • Number.prototype.toPrecision(): For controlling the total number of significant digits.
    • Libraries like Decimal.js or Big.js: These libraries provide capabilities for accurate decimal arithmetic and can manage formatting better for applications requiring high precision.

• Performance Variability:

  • Performance can vary based on browser implementations and environmental factors. The test in the benchmark was performed on "Chrome 132" on a Linux desktop, and results might differ on other browsers or platforms.

Conclusion

This benchmark provides insight into the performance differences between toString() and toFixed(4), guiding developers on which method to use based on performance requirements and the need for numeric representation formatting. Depending on the application context, the choice of method can significantly influence efficiency and correctness.