Benchmark: Math.min vs if/else vs ternary operator

Script Preparation code:

this.numberA = Math.random() * 1000;
this.numberB = Math.random() * 1000;

Tests:

Math.min
return Math.min(this.numberA, this.numberB);
if
if (this.numberA < this.numberB) return this.numberA; else return this.numberB;
ternary
return (this.numberA < this.numberB) ? this.numberA : this.numberB

Rendered benchmark preparation results:

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Previous results

Test case name	Result
Math.min
if
ternary

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Latest run results:

Run details: (Test run date: 2 days ago)

User agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/131.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

Browser/OS: Chrome 131 on Windows

View result in a separate tab

Test name	Executions per second
Math.min	58004596.0 Ops/sec
if	34518096.0 Ops/sec
ternary	32651042.0 Ops/sec

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one month ago):

LLMs can make mistakes. Check important info.

Let's dive into the world of JavaScript microbenchmarks!

The provided JSON represents a benchmark test case on MeasureThat.net, which compares the performance of three different approaches to find the smaller of two numbers: `Math.min()`, `if/else` statements, and the ternary operator.

**Options compared:**

1. **Math.min()**: This is a built-in JavaScript function that returns the smallest of two or more values.
2. **if/else statements**: This approach involves using an if-else statement to compare the two numbers and return the smaller one.
3. **Ternary operator**: This is an alternative syntax for conditional expressions, which can be used to concisely evaluate a condition and return one of two values.

**Pros and cons of each approach:**

1. **Math.min()**:
	* Pros: Fast, efficient, and widely supported.
	* Cons: May not be suitable for all use cases (e.g., when you need more control over the comparison process).
2. **if/else statements**:
	* Pros: Allows for custom logic and flexibility in the comparison process.
	* Cons: Can be slower due to the overhead of branching instructions, especially in interpreted JavaScript environments like Chrome's V8 engine.
3. **Ternary operator**:
	* Pros: Compact syntax and often faster than if/else statements, as it avoids branching.
	* Cons: May not be immediately clear to readers, and its syntax can be specific to certain browsers or JavaScript engines.

**Library usage:** None of the provided benchmark definitions explicitly use a library. However, MeasureThat.net itself relies on various libraries under the hood, such as WebKit for rendering and V8 for JavaScript execution.

**Special JS feature/syntax:** The ternary operator is an example of a shorthand syntax in JavaScript, which allows you to write a single expression that can be either true or false. This syntax is supported by most modern browsers, including Chrome.

**Other alternatives:**

If you want to explore other options for finding the smaller of two numbers, consider:

1. `Math.max()` with `-a` and `-b` manipulation
2. Using bitwise operations (e.g., `a < b ? -a : -b`)
3. Implementing a custom comparison function using closures or arrow functions

Keep in mind that these alternatives might have different performance characteristics or use cases, so it's essential to benchmark them against the original three approaches to see which one works best for your specific scenario.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go grab some virtual coffee and breathe...

Related benchmarks:

Math.min vs if/else vs ternary operator (version: 0)

Quickest operation to return smaller of 2 numbers

Comparing performance of: Math.min vs if vs ternary

Created: 5 years ago by: Guest

Jump to the latest result

Math.min

if

ternary

Suite status: <idle, ready to run>

Experimental features:

Fastest: N/A

Slowest: N/A

Autogenerated LLM Summary (model llama3.2:3b, generated one month ago):