A mean execution time summarizes how long an operation takes on average. In Go benchmarks, it is reported as time per operation; treat it as a measurement for a particular workload, Go version, and machine, not a universal guarantee. section 11.8 section 11.8.2
Avoid drawing conclusions from one mean alone:
- Run benchmarks repeatedly and compare their variation; two means near 5.10 ns/op with ±1% variation support a more cautious comparison than a single run. section 11.8.2
- Match measurements to the system that will run the application; a microbenchmark result from one machine may not carry over to another. section 11.8.2
$ benchstat stats.txt name time/op AtomicStoreInt32-4 5.10ns ± 1% AtomicStoreInt64-4 5.10ns ± 1%
Repeated benchmark results show similar mean times and their variation. section 11.8.2
