Let's dive into explaining the JavaScript microbenchmark on MeasureThat.net.

Benchmark Overview

The benchmark is designed to measure the performance of string concatenation in JavaScript. It compares three different approaches:

1. Standard Plus Concat: Using the + operator for concatenation (e.g., base + a)
2. Plus Equals: Using the += assignment operator for concatenation (e.g., base += a)
3. String.Concat: Using the concat() method for concatenation

Options Comparison

Here's a brief overview of each approach:

• Standard Plus Concat:
  • Pros: Widely supported and understood by most developers.
  • Cons: Can lead to performance issues due to the creation of intermediate strings, as shown in the benchmark results.
• Plus Equals:
  • Pros: Often used for concatenation, especially in situations where base is already assigned a value. However, this approach can lead to unnecessary reassignments and memory allocations.
  • Cons: Can still result in performance issues due to intermediate string creation, similar to the Standard Plus Concat approach.
• String.Concat:
  • Pros: Efficiently creates an array of strings without creating intermediate arrays or objects. This is particularly useful for large concatenations.
  • Cons: Requires a supported browser and/or JavaScript engine (not all engines support it).

Library/Functionality Consideration

In this benchmark, the concat() method is used, which is a part of the ECMAScript standard and widely supported by most modern browsers. This allows users to run the benchmark on various devices without worrying about compatibility issues.

Special JS Features/Syntax (None)

There are no special JavaScript features or syntaxes being tested in this benchmark. The focus is solely on string concatenation using different approaches.

Other Alternatives

If you're looking for alternative ways to concatenate strings, consider the following:

• Array.prototype.push(): Concatenating strings using push() can lead to performance issues due to array resizing.
• String.join(): Using join() with an empty string can be more efficient than concatenation methods.
• Template literals (introduced in ECMAScript 2015): Template literals provide a concise and efficient way to concatenate strings without the need for explicit operator overloading.

Keep in mind that these alternatives might not be as widely supported or understood by all developers, which could affect benchmark results or code maintainability.