[PATCH v2 01/18] perf bench internals: Add symbols and maps benchmarks

From: Ian Rogers

Date: Tue Oct 27 2026 - 19:17:05 EST


Add two new 'perf bench internals' subcommands to measure symbol and map
operations directly:

- 'perf bench internals symbols':
1. Loads symbols from an ELF binary (defaulting to the running perf
executable, or specified via -b/--binary) and sorts them by name,
reporting both average runtime and heap memory consumption.
2. Inserts synthetic symbols in two ascending runs (simulating .symtab
and .dynsym), fixes up symbol ends and duplicates, and queries each
symbol by address.
3. Incrementally appends symbols at interior addresses and immediately
queries each appended symbol by address.

- 'perf bench internals maps':
1. Inserts non-overlapping maps in ascending address order (simulating
/proc/<pid>/maps synthesis) and queries each map by address.
2. Incrementally appends maps at interior addresses (simulating runtime
PERF_RECORD_MMAP2 / JIT events) and immediately queries each map by
address and by name.

Signed-off-by: Ian Rogers <irogers@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
tools/perf/Documentation/perf-bench.txt | 6 +
tools/perf/bench/Build | 2 +
tools/perf/bench/bench.h | 2 +
tools/perf/bench/maps.c | 186 +++++++++++++++++++
tools/perf/bench/symbols.c | 236 ++++++++++++++++++++++++
tools/perf/builtin-bench.c | 2 +
6 files changed, 434 insertions(+)
create mode 100644 tools/perf/bench/maps.c
create mode 100644 tools/perf/bench/symbols.c

diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-bench.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-bench.txt
index 7f820f69740f..c65dd8f4131f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-bench.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-bench.txt
@@ -351,6 +351,12 @@ SUITES FOR 'internals'
*synthesize*::
Suite for evaluating perf's event synthesis performance.

+*symbols*::
+Suite for evaluating ELF symbol loading, sorting, and lookup performance.
+
+*maps*::
+Suite for evaluating maps insertion, sorting, and lookup performance.
+
SEE ALSO
--------
linkperf:perf[1]
diff --git a/tools/perf/bench/Build b/tools/perf/bench/Build
index c64c52468d3d..d51e52d3742a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/bench/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/bench/Build
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ perf-bench-y += evlist-open-close.o
perf-bench-y += breakpoint.o
perf-bench-y += pmu-scan.o
perf-bench-y += uprobe.o
+perf-bench-y += symbols.o
+perf-bench-y += maps.o

perf-bench-$(CONFIG_X86_64) += mem-memcpy-x86-64-asm.o
perf-bench-$(CONFIG_X86_64) += mem-memset-x86-64-asm.o
diff --git a/tools/perf/bench/bench.h b/tools/perf/bench/bench.h
index 85e3ac471875..c988d236e0f0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/bench/bench.h
+++ b/tools/perf/bench/bench.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ int bench_uprobe_trace_printk(int argc, const char **argv);
int bench_uprobe_empty_ret(int argc, const char **argv);
int bench_uprobe_trace_printk_ret(int argc, const char **argv);
int bench_pmu_scan(int argc, const char **argv);
+int bench_symbols(int argc, const char **argv);
+int bench_maps(int argc, const char **argv);

#define BENCH_FORMAT_DEFAULT_STR "default"
#define BENCH_FORMAT_DEFAULT 0
diff --git a/tools/perf/bench/maps.c b/tools/perf/bench/maps.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ed5a5be3cbf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/bench/maps.c
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/*
+ * Benchmark maps insertion, sorting, and address/name lookup.
+ */
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/time.h>
+#include <linux/compiler.h>
+#include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/time64.h>
+#include <subcmd/parse-options.h>
+#include "bench.h"
+#include "../util/debug.h"
+#include "../util/dso.h"
+#include "../util/map.h"
+#include "../util/maps.h"
+#include "../util/stat.h"
+
+static unsigned int iterations = 100;
+static unsigned int nr_maps = 1000;
+static unsigned int nr_appends = 200;
+
+static const struct option options[] = {
+ OPT_UINTEGER('i', "iterations", &iterations,
+ "Number of iterations used to compute average (default: 100)"),
+ OPT_UINTEGER('m', "nr-maps", &nr_maps,
+ "Number of ascending maps per iteration (default: 1000)"),
+ OPT_UINTEGER('a', "nr-appends", &nr_appends,
+ "Number of incremental map appends per iteration (default: 200)"),
+ OPT_END()
+};
+
+static const char *const bench_usage[] = {
+ "perf bench internals maps <options>",
+ NULL
+};
+
+static int do_maps_bench(void)
+{
+ struct stats asc_stats, append_stats;
+ unsigned int total_dsos = nr_maps + nr_appends;
+ struct dso **dsos;
+ struct map **all_maps;
+ unsigned int i, j;
+ int err = 0;
+
+ if (total_dsos == 0)
+ return 0;
+
+ dsos = calloc(total_dsos, sizeof(*dsos));
+ all_maps = calloc(total_dsos, sizeof(*all_maps));
+ if (!dsos || !all_maps) {
+ free(dsos);
+ free(all_maps);
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+
+ for (i = 0; i < total_dsos; i++) {
+ char name[32];
+ u64 addr;
+
+ scnprintf(name, sizeof(name), "/tmp/bench_dso_%06u.so", i);
+ dsos[i] = dso__new(name);
+ if (!dsos[i]) {
+ err = -ENOMEM;
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+ if (i < nr_maps) {
+ addr = 0x100000ULL + (u64)i * 0x2000ULL;
+ all_maps[i] = map__new2(addr, dsos[i]);
+ if (!all_maps[i]) {
+ err = -ENOMEM;
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+ map__set_end(all_maps[i], addr + 0x1000ULL);
+ } else {
+ u64 k = i - nr_maps;
+ u64 slot = nr_maps ? (k * 197ULL) % nr_maps : k;
+
+ addr = 0x101000ULL + slot * 0x2000ULL +
+ (nr_maps ? (k / nr_maps) * 0x100ULL : 0);
+ all_maps[i] = map__new2(addr, dsos[i]);
+ if (!all_maps[i]) {
+ err = -ENOMEM;
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+ map__set_end(all_maps[i], addr + 0x80ULL);
+ }
+ }
+
+ init_stats(&asc_stats);
+ init_stats(&append_stats);
+
+ for (i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+ struct timeval start, end, diff;
+ struct maps *maps = maps__new(NULL);
+ u64 runtime_us;
+
+ if (!maps) {
+ err = -ENOMEM;
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * Phase 1: Insert maps in ascending address order (simulating
+ * /proc/<pid>/maps synthesis) and look up each map by address.
+ */
+ gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_maps; j++) {
+ err = maps__fixup_overlap_and_insert(maps, all_maps[j]);
+ if (err) {
+ maps__zput(maps);
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+ }
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_maps; j++) {
+ u64 addr = 0x100000ULL + (u64)j * 0x2000ULL + 0x100ULL;
+ struct map *found = maps__find(maps, addr);
+
+ map__put(found);
+ }
+ gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
+ timersub(&end, &start, &diff);
+ runtime_us = diff.tv_sec * USEC_PER_SEC + diff.tv_usec;
+ update_stats(&asc_stats, runtime_us);
+
+ /*
+ * Phase 2: Incrementally insert maps at interior addresses
+ * (simulating runtime MMAP2 / JIT code events) and immediately
+ * query by address and by name.
+ */
+ gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_appends; j++) {
+ struct map *map = all_maps[nr_maps + j];
+ struct dso *dso = dsos[nr_maps + j];
+ u64 addr = map__start(map);
+ struct map *found;
+
+ err = maps__fixup_overlap_and_insert(maps, map);
+ if (err) {
+ maps__zput(maps);
+ goto out_free;
+ }
+
+ found = maps__find(maps, addr + 0x10ULL);
+ map__put(found);
+
+ found = maps__find_by_name(maps, dso__short_name(dso));
+ map__put(found);
+ }
+ gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
+ timersub(&end, &start, &diff);
+ runtime_us = diff.tv_sec * USEC_PER_SEC + diff.tv_usec;
+ update_stats(&append_stats, runtime_us);
+
+ maps__zput(maps);
+ }
+
+ printf(" Average ascending insert + lookup: %.3f usec (+- %.3f usec)\n",
+ avg_stats(&asc_stats), stddev_stats(&asc_stats));
+ printf(" Average append + lookup: %.3f usec (+- %.3f usec)\n",
+ avg_stats(&append_stats), stddev_stats(&append_stats));
+
+out_free:
+ for (i = 0; i < total_dsos; i++) {
+ map__put(all_maps[i]);
+ dso__put(dsos[i]);
+ }
+ free(all_maps);
+ free(dsos);
+ return err;
+}
+
+int bench_maps(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+ argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, bench_usage, 0);
+ if (argc) {
+ usage_with_options(bench_usage, options);
+ exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+ }
+
+ return do_maps_bench();
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/bench/symbols.c b/tools/perf/bench/symbols.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5ab71d440e67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/bench/symbols.c
@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/*
+ * Benchmark symbol loading, sorting, and address/name lookup.
+ */
+#include <elf.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include <malloc.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/time.h>
+#include <linux/compiler.h>
+#include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/time64.h>
+#include <subcmd/parse-options.h>
+#include "bench.h"
+#include "../util/debug.h"
+#include "../util/dso.h"
+#include "../util/map.h"
+#include "../util/stat.h"
+#include "../util/symbol.h"
+#include "../util/util.h"
+
+static unsigned int iterations = 20;
+static unsigned int nr_symbols = 10000;
+static unsigned int nr_appends = 200;
+static const char *binary_path;
+static bool no_demangle;
+
+static const struct option options[] = {
+ OPT_UINTEGER('i', "iterations", &iterations,
+ "Number of iterations used to compute average (default: 20)"),
+ OPT_STRING('b', "binary", &binary_path, "path",
+ "Binary path for ELF symbol load benchmark (default: perf binary)"),
+ OPT_UINTEGER('n', "nr-symbols", &nr_symbols,
+ "Number of synthetic symbols for bulk benchmark (default: 10000)"),
+ OPT_UINTEGER('a', "nr-appends", &nr_appends,
+ "Number of incremental symbol appends per iteration (default: 200)"),
+ OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "no-demangle", &no_demangle,
+ "Disable symbol demangling during ELF load"),
+ OPT_END()
+};
+
+static const char *const bench_usage[] = {
+ "perf bench internals symbols <options>",
+ NULL
+};
+
+static int do_dso_load_bench(const char *path)
+{
+ struct stats time_stats;
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 33)
+ struct stats mem_stats;
+#endif
+ double time_average, time_stddev;
+ unsigned int i;
+
+ init_stats(&time_stats);
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 33)
+ init_stats(&mem_stats);
+#endif
+
+ for (i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+ struct timeval start, end, diff;
+ struct map *map;
+ struct dso *dso;
+ u64 runtime_us;
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 33)
+ size_t mem_before = mallinfo2().uordblks;
+ size_t mem_after;
+#endif
+
+ gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+ map = dso__new_map(path);
+ if (!map) {
+ pr_err("Failed to create map for %s\n", path);
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+ if (map__load(map) < 0) {
+ pr_err("Failed to load symbols from %s\n", path);
+ map__put(map);
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+ dso = map__dso(map);
+ dso__sort_by_name(dso);
+ gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
+
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 33)
+ mem_after = mallinfo2().uordblks;
+ if (mem_after > mem_before)
+ update_stats(&mem_stats, (mem_after - mem_before) / 1024);
+#endif
+ map__put(map);
+
+ timersub(&end, &start, &diff);
+ runtime_us = diff.tv_sec * USEC_PER_SEC + diff.tv_usec;
+ update_stats(&time_stats, runtime_us);
+ }
+
+ time_average = avg_stats(&time_stats) / USEC_PER_MSEC;
+ time_stddev = stddev_stats(&time_stats) / USEC_PER_MSEC;
+ printf(" Average DSO load + sort: %.3f msec (+- %.3f msec)\n",
+ time_average, time_stddev);
+
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 33)
+ printf(" Average DSO memory usage: %.0f KB (+- %.0f KB)\n",
+ avg_stats(&mem_stats), stddev_stats(&mem_stats));
+#endif
+ return 0;
+}
+
+static int do_synthetic_symbols_bench(void)
+{
+ struct stats bulk_stats, append_stats;
+ unsigned int i, j, half = nr_symbols / 2;
+
+ if (half == 0)
+ return 0;
+
+ init_stats(&bulk_stats);
+ init_stats(&append_stats);
+
+ for (i = 0; i < iterations; i++) {
+ struct timeval start, end, diff;
+ struct dso *dso = dso__new("[bench_symbols]");
+ u64 runtime_us;
+ char name[32];
+
+ if (!dso)
+ return -ENOMEM;
+
+ /*
+ * Phase 1: Insert symbols in two ascending runs (simulating
+ * .symtab + .dynsym), fixup ends and duplicates, and look up
+ * all symbols by address.
+ */
+ gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_symbols; j++) {
+ u64 addr = (j < half) ?
+ (0x100000ULL + (u64)j * 0x40ULL) :
+ (0x100020ULL + (u64)(j - half) * 0x40ULL);
+ struct symbol *sym;
+
+ scnprintf(name, sizeof(name), "bench_sym_%06u", j);
+ sym = symbol__new(addr, 0x18, STB_GLOBAL, STT_FUNC, name);
+ if (!sym) {
+ dso__put(dso);
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+ symbols__insert(dso__symbols(dso), sym);
+ }
+ symbols__fixup_end(dso__symbols(dso), false);
+ symbols__fixup_duplicate(dso__symbols(dso));
+
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_symbols; j++) {
+ u64 addr = (j < half) ?
+ (0x100000ULL + (u64)j * 0x40ULL + 4) :
+ (0x100020ULL + (u64)(j - half) * 0x40ULL + 4);
+
+ (void)dso__find_symbol_nocache(dso, addr);
+ }
+ gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
+ timersub(&end, &start, &diff);
+ runtime_us = diff.tv_sec * USEC_PER_SEC + diff.tv_usec;
+ update_stats(&bulk_stats, runtime_us);
+
+ /*
+ * Phase 2: Incrementally append one symbol at a time at an
+ * interior address and immediately query by address.
+ */
+ gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+ for (j = 0; j < nr_appends; j++) {
+ u64 addr = 0x100010ULL + ((u64)(j * 197 % half)) * 0x40ULL;
+ struct symbol *sym;
+
+ scnprintf(name, sizeof(name), "jit_sym_%06u", j);
+ sym = symbol__new(addr, 0x08, STB_GLOBAL, STT_FUNC, name);
+ if (!sym) {
+ dso__put(dso);
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+ dso__insert_symbol(dso, sym);
+ (void)dso__find_symbol_nocache(dso, addr + 2);
+ }
+ gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
+ timersub(&end, &start, &diff);
+ runtime_us = diff.tv_sec * USEC_PER_SEC + diff.tv_usec;
+ update_stats(&append_stats, runtime_us);
+
+ dso__put(dso);
+ }
+
+ printf(" Average bulk insert + lookup: %.3f usec (+- %.3f usec)\n",
+ avg_stats(&bulk_stats), stddev_stats(&bulk_stats));
+ printf(" Average append + lookup: %.3f usec (+- %.3f usec)\n",
+ avg_stats(&append_stats), stddev_stats(&append_stats));
+ return 0;
+}
+
+int bench_symbols(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+ char exe_buf[PATH_MAX];
+ const char *path;
+ bool orig_demangle;
+ int err;
+
+ argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, bench_usage, 0);
+ if (argc) {
+ usage_with_options(bench_usage, options);
+ exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+ }
+
+ if (symbol__init(NULL) < 0)
+ return -1;
+
+ orig_demangle = symbol_conf.demangle;
+ if (no_demangle)
+ symbol_conf.demangle = false;
+
+ if (binary_path) {
+ path = binary_path;
+ } else {
+ perf_exe(exe_buf, sizeof(exe_buf));
+ path = exe_buf;
+ }
+
+ err = do_dso_load_bench(path);
+ if (!err)
+ err = do_synthetic_symbols_bench();
+
+ symbol_conf.demangle = orig_demangle;
+ return err;
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-bench.c b/tools/perf/builtin-bench.c
index 62bebdedd3b8..57a4199a058c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-bench.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-bench.c
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ static const struct bench internals_benchmarks[] = {
{ "inject-build-id", "Benchmark build-id injection", bench_inject_build_id },
{ "evlist-open-close", "Benchmark evlist open and close", bench_evlist_open_close },
{ "pmu-scan", "Benchmark sysfs PMU info scanning", bench_pmu_scan },
+ { "symbols", "Benchmark symbol loading, sorting and lookup", bench_symbols },
+ { "maps", "Benchmark maps insertion, sorting and lookup", bench_maps },
{ NULL, NULL, NULL }
};

--
2.56.0.313.g2479322e68-goog