NBench lets you measure .NET code and turn performance expectations into test assertions. To get started, install the NBench package in a console application, define a benchmark class with setup and cleanup methods, and mark each benchmark with [PerfBenchmark]. Use throughput mode for operations per second and iteration mode for timing, allocation, or garbage-collection observations.
Set up an NBench console application
NBench 2.x runs from your application rather than relying on a separate external runner. Create a console project, then add the researched package version:
dotnet add package NBench --version 2.0.1NBench 2.0.1 targets .NET Standard 2.0. Its NuGet listing states support for .NET Framework 4.6.1 and later and .NET Core 2.0 and later. See the NBench 2.0.1 NuGet listing and the official NBench documentation.
Create a benchmark class
A benchmark class is a plain C# object with a default constructor. NBench creates the object and calls its setup, benchmark, and cleanup methods during each iteration. Use [PerfSetup] to prepare fixtures or obtain counters from the BenchmarkContext; use [PerfCleanup] to release resources created for the iteration.
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using NBench;
using NBench.Util;
public class QueuePerfSpecs
{
private Counter _counter;
[PerfSetup]
public void Setup(BenchmarkContext context)
{
_counter = context.GetCounter("Enqueue");
}
[PerfBenchmark(
Description = "Measures queue enqueue throughput",
NumberOfIterations = 3,
RunMode = RunMode.Throughput,
RunTimeMilliseconds = 1000,
TestMode = TestMode.Test)]
[CounterThroughputAssertion("Enqueue", MustBe.GreaterThan, 1000000.0d)]
public void Enqueue()
{
_counter.Increment();
}
[PerfCleanup]
public void Cleanup() { }
}This example shows the attribute arrangement; its threshold is illustrative, not a recommended target. Select a bound that reflects your own workload and environment. Multiple benchmark methods in one class are run as separate benchmarks.
Choose throughput or iteration mode
The run mode determines what question a benchmark answers. Throughput runs a workload for a configured duration; iteration repeats the benchmark a configured number of times. These approaches are not interchangeable.
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| Mode | Best suited to | Configuration and measurement |
|---|---|---|
RunMode.Throughput |
How many operations the code performs over time | Set RunTimeMilliseconds; increment a named counter and use CounterThroughputAssertion or CounterTotalAssertion. |
RunMode.Iteration |
Elapsed time, allocations, or GC effects for repeated work | Set NumberOfIterations; use timing, memory, or GC measurement and assertion attributes as appropriate. |
With either mode, leave warmups enabled for ordinary measurements. NBench pre-JITs code and estimates runtime during pre-warmup and warmup before performing the measured work. SkipWarmups is available, but should be reserved for a specific reason, such as a long-running iteration benchmark whose setup makes warmups unsuitable.
Measure and assert performance
Measurement attributes collect values; assertion attributes define bounds that can make a test fail when run in test mode. Choose the pair that matches the requirement you need to monitor.
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- Throughput and operation totals: obtain a named
CounterfromBenchmarkContext, then useCounterMeasurement,CounterThroughputAssertion, orCounterTotalAssertion. - Memory allocation: use
MemoryMeasurementto report memory orMemoryAssertionto impose a limit, such as onMemoryMetric.TotalBytesAllocated. - Garbage collection: use
GcMeasurement,GcTotalAssertion, orGcThroughputAssertionto observe or bound Gen0, Gen1, Gen2, or all-generation collections. - Elapsed time: use
TimingMeasurementto report timing orElapsedTimeAssertionto set a limit.
NBench documentation describes a full-GC cleanup before and after a run, but not an imposed collection immediately before measuring collection attempts. A GC benchmark therefore needs a workload that creates realistic opportunities for collection; otherwise a low count may say little about production behavior.
Make the benchmark enforce a regression gate
Set TestMode.Test on the benchmark when assertion bounds should determine pass or fail. If a measured value violates an assertion, NBench reports failure. Use TestMode.Measure when you want measurements reported without assertion attributes acting as pass/fail gates; the attributes can still declare metrics to collect.
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Before treating a threshold as a CI regression gate, run the benchmark repeatedly under representative conditions and record the environment. A bound that is not stable across normal runs can produce noisy failures rather than useful regression signals. Calibrate the threshold from the requirement and observed variability, not from the illustrative value in a sample.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Interpret results in light of setup and lifecycle
Each iteration includes object creation and the configured setup, benchmark, and cleanup lifecycle. Keep fixture preparation and resource release intentional: work placed in the benchmark method is part of what the benchmark measures, while work in setup or cleanup is part of the iteration lifecycle. For concurrent or asynchronous code, structure the benchmark so the operation being measured—not unrelated fixture construction or teardown—is the meaningful workload.
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NBench is intended for macro-level performance tests of features, including throughput, memory, and GC behavior. It can help answer whether a feature meets a performance bound; it does not make a poorly isolated or unrepresentative workload meaningful merely by attaching an assertion.
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