Benchmarks creating/reading/writing PHP objects using various techniques

new-vs-cached-ReflectionClass-instance.php

<?php

/**
 * This script benchmarks creating a new ReflectionClass instance vs using a cached instance.
 *
 * Results on my machine:
 *
 * New ReflectionClass instance:    0.270 s
 * Cached ReflectionClass instance: 0.147 s
 */

namespace Test;

class Foo
{
    protected $a;
    protected $b;
    protected $c;
    protected $d;
    protected $e;
    protected $f;
    protected $g;
    protected $h;
    protected $i;
    protected $j;
    protected $k;
    protected $l;
    protected $m;
}

class Bar extends Foo
{
    protected $n;
    protected $o;
    protected $p;
    protected $q;
    protected $r;
    protected $s;
    protected $t;
    protected $u;
    protected $v;
    protected $w;
    protected $x;
    protected $y;
    protected $z;
}


// -----
// Setup
// -----

function writeResult(string $test, float $time)
{
    printf('%s %.3f s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($test. ':', 32, ' ', STR_PAD_RIGHT), $time);
}


// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test newInstanceWithoutConstructor(), creating ReflectionClass instance on the fly
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$objectFactory = new class {
    public function instantiate(string $class) : object
    {
        $reflectionClass = new \ReflectionClass($class);

        return $reflectionClass->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
    }
};

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $objectFactory->instantiate(Bar::class);
}

writeResult('New ReflectionClass instance', microtime(true) - $t);

// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test newInstanceWithoutConstructor(), creating ReflectionClass instance on the fly
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$objectFactory = new class {
    private $classes = [];

    public function instantiate(string $class) : object
    {
        if (isset($this->classes[$class])) {
            $reflectionClass = $this->classes[$class];
        } else {
            $reflectionClass = $this->classes[$class] = new \ReflectionClass($class);
        }

        return $reflectionClass->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
    }
};

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $objectFactory->instantiate(Bar::class);
}

writeResult('Cached ReflectionClass instance', microtime(true) - $t);

newInstanceWithoutConstructor-vs-unserialize-benchmark.php

<?php

/**
 * This script benchmarks creating an object using ReflectionClass::newInstanceWithoutConstructor() vs unserialize().
 *
 * Results on my machine:
 *
 * newInstanceWithoutConstructor():                  0.261 s
 * newInstanceWithoutConstructor() pre-instantiated: 0.086 s
 * unserialize():                                    0.643 s
 */

namespace Test;

class Foo
{
    protected $a;
    protected $b;
    protected $c;
    protected $d;
    protected $e;
    protected $f;
    protected $g;
    protected $h;
    protected $i;
    protected $j;
    protected $k;
    protected $l;
    protected $m;
}

class Bar extends Foo
{
    protected $n;
    protected $o;
    protected $p;
    protected $q;
    protected $r;
    protected $s;
    protected $t;
    protected $u;
    protected $v;
    protected $w;
    protected $x;
    protected $y;
    protected $z;
}


// -----
// Setup
// -----

$class = Bar::class;

function writeResult(string $test, float $time)
{
    printf('%s %.3f s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($test. ':', 49, ' ', STR_PAD_RIGHT), $time);
}


// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test newInstanceWithoutConstructor(), creating ReflectionClass instance on the fly
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $r = new \ReflectionClass($class);
    $o = $r->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
}

writeResult('newInstanceWithoutConstructor()', microtime(true) - $t);

// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test newInstanceWithoutConstructor(), creating ReflectionClass instance on the fly
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$r = new \ReflectionClass($class);
$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $o = $r->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
}

writeResult('newInstanceWithoutConstructor() pre-instantiated', microtime(true) - $t);


// ------------------
// Test unserialize()
// ------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 1000000; $i++) {
    $o = unserialize('O:' . strlen($class) . ':"' . $class . '":0:{}');
}

writeResult('unserialize()', microtime(true) - $t);

reflection-vs-array-cast-benchmark.php

<?php

/**
 * This script benchmarks reading initialized, non-static object properties.
 * Note: the Closure test is not actually doing the job properly, as it skips NULL values.
 *
 * Results on my machine (PHP 7.4.0-dev, using master):
 *
 * ReflectionClass, on the fly:   0.724 s
 * ReflectionClass, pre-computed: 0.356 s
 * Cast object to array:          0.228 s
 * get_object_vars():             0.320 s
 * Closure & catch:               0.308 s
 * Closure & isset():             0.139 s
 */

namespace Test;

class Foo
{
    protected $a;
    protected $b = null;
    protected $c = 1;
    protected int $d;
    protected int $e = 1;
    protected int $f = 2;
    protected int $g = 3;
    protected int $h = 4;
    protected ?int $i = null;
    protected ?int $j = 1;
    protected ?int $k = 2;
    protected ?int $l = 3;
    protected ?int $m = 4;
}

class Bar extends Foo
{
    protected $n;
    protected $o;
    protected $p = null;
    protected $q = null;
    protected $r = 'a';
    protected $s = 'b';
    protected string $t;
    protected string $u = 'a';
    protected ?string $v;
    protected ?string $w = null;
    protected ?string $x = 'a';
    protected ?string $y = 'b';
    protected ?string $z = 'c';
}


// -----
// Setup
// -----

$class = Bar::class;
$object = new Bar;

$props = [
    'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g', 'h', 'i', 'j', 'k', 'l', 'm',
    'n', 'o', 'p', 'q', 'r', 's', 't', 'u', 'v', 'w', 'x', 'y', 'z'
];

$reflectionProperties = [];

foreach ($props as $prop) {
    $reflectionProperty = new \ReflectionProperty(Bar::class, $prop);
    $reflectionProperty->setAccessible(true);
    $reflectionProperties[$prop] = $reflectionProperty;
}

function writeResult(string $test, float $time)
{
    printf('%s %.3f s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($test. ':', 30, ' ', STR_PAD_RIGHT), $time);
}

// ------------------------------------------------
// Test ReflectionClass instance created on the fly
// ------------------------------------------------

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $values = [];

    $r = new \ReflectionClass($class);
    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $p = $r->getProperty($prop);
        $p->setAccessible(true);
        if ($p->isInitialized($object)) {
            $values[$prop] = $p->getValue($object);
        }
    }
}

writeResult('ReflectionClass, on the fly', \microtime(true) - $t);


// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test ReflectionClass, pre-instantiated, with pre-computed property list
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $values = [];

    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $reflectionProperty = $reflectionProperties[$prop];
        if ($reflectionProperty->isInitialized($object)) {
            $values[$prop] = $reflectionProperties[$prop]->getValue($object);
        }
    }
}

writeResult('ReflectionClass, pre-computed', \microtime(true) - $t);


// -------------------------
// Test object to array cast
// -------------------------

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $values = [];

    $propsMap = \array_flip($props);

    foreach ((array) $object as $key => $value) {
        // Remove the "\0*\0" in front of protected/private properties
        $pos = \strrpos($key, "\0");

        if ($pos !== false) {
            $key = \substr($key, $pos + 1);
        }

        // Only include if the prop was requested
        if (isset($propsMap[$key])) {
            $values[$key] = $value;
        }
    }
}

writeResult('Cast object to array', \microtime(true) - $t);


// ----------------------
// Test get_object_vars()
// ----------------------

$f = function() {
    return \get_object_vars($this);
};

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $vars = $f->bindTo($object, $object)();

    $values = [];

    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        if (\array_key_exists($prop, $vars)) {
            $values[$prop] = $vars[$prop];
        }
    }
}

writeResult('get_object_vars()', \microtime(true) - $t);


// --------------------------
// Test closure & catch Error
// --------------------------

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $values = [];

    (function() use ($props, & $values) {
        foreach ($props as $prop) {
            try {
                $values[$prop] = $this->{$prop};
            } catch (\Error $e) {}
        }
    })->bindTo($object, $object)();
}

writeResult('Closure & catch', \microtime(true) - $t);


// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test closure & isset() (warning: skips NULL values in addition to uninitialized props)
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = \microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $values = [];

    (function() use ($props, & $values) {
        foreach ($props as $prop) {
            if (isset($this->{$prop})) {
                $values[$prop] = $this->{$prop};
            }
        }
    })->bindTo($object, $object)();
}

writeResult('Closure & isset()', \microtime(true) - $t);

reflection-vs-closure-benchmark.php

<?php

/**
 * This script benchmarks using Closure vs Reflection to get/set object properties from the outside of the object.
 *
 * Results on my machine:
 *
 * READ Reflection (on the fly):        1.089 s
 * WRITE Reflection (on the fly):       1.029 s
 * READ Reflection (pre-instantiated):  0.276 s
 * WRITE Reflection (pre-instantiated): 0.287 s
 * READ Closure one by one:             0.949 s
 * WRITE Closure one by one:            0.992 s
 * READ Closure bulk:                   0.182 s
 * WRITE Closure bulk:                  0.121 s
 */

class Foo
{
    protected $a;
    protected $b;
    protected $c;
    protected $d;
    protected $e;
    protected $f;
    protected $g;
    protected $h;
    protected $i;
    protected $j;
    protected $k;
    protected $l;
    protected $m;
}

class Bar extends Foo
{
    protected $n;
    protected $o;
    protected $p;
    protected $q;
    protected $r;
    protected $s;
    protected $t;
    protected $u;
    protected $v;
    protected $w;
    protected $x;
    protected $y;
    protected $z;
}


// -----
// Setup
// -----

$object = new Bar;

$props = [
    'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g', 'h', 'i', 'j', 'k', 'l', 'm',
    'n', 'o', 'p', 'q', 'r', 's', 't', 'u', 'v', 'w', 'x', 'y', 'z'
];

$value = 123;
$values = [];

foreach ($props as $prop) {
    $values[$prop] = $value;
}

$reflectionProperties = [];

foreach ($props as $prop) {
    $reflectionProperty = new ReflectionProperty(Bar::class, $prop);
    $reflectionProperty->setAccessible(true);
    $reflectionProperties[$prop] = $reflectionProperty;
}

function writeResult(string $test, float $time)
{
    printf('%s %.3f s' . PHP_EOL, str_pad($test. ':', 36, ' ', STR_PAD_RIGHT), $time);
}


// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test reading object properties with Reflection objects created on the fly
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $r = new ReflectionClass(Bar::class);

    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $p = new ReflectionProperty(Bar::class, $prop);
        $p->setAccessible(true);
        $x = $p->getValue($object);
    }
}

writeResult('READ Reflection (on the fly)', microtime(true) - $t);


// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test writing object properties with Reflection objects created on the fly
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $r = new ReflectionClass(Bar::class);

    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $p = new ReflectionProperty(Bar::class, $prop);
        $p->setAccessible(true);
        $p->setValue($object, 123);
    }
}

writeResult('WRITE Reflection (on the fly)', microtime(true) - $t);


// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test reading object properties with pre-instantiated Reflection objects
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $x = $reflectionProperties[$prop]->getValue($object);
    }
}

writeResult('READ Reflection (pre-instantiated)', microtime(true) - $t);


// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test writing object properties with pre-instantiated Reflection objects
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $reflectionProperties[$prop]->setValue($object, 123);
    }
}

writeResult('WRITE Reflection (pre-instantiated)', microtime(true) - $t);


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test reading object properties using a closure bound to the object, once for each property
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        $x = (function() use ($prop) {
            return $this->{$prop};
        })->bindTo($object, Bar::class)();
    }
}

writeResult('READ Closure one by one', microtime(true) - $t);


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test writing object properties using a closure bound to the object, once for each property
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    foreach ($props as $prop) {
        (function() use ($prop, $value) {
            $this->{$prop} = $value;
        })->bindTo($object, Bar::class)();
    }
}

writeResult('WRITE Closure one by one', microtime(true) - $t);


// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test reading object properties using a closure bound to the object, once for all properties
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    $xes = (function() use ($props) {
        $values = [];
        foreach ($props as $prop) {
            $values[$prop] = $this->{$prop};
        }
        return $values;
    })->bindTo($object, Bar::class)();
}

writeResult('READ Closure bulk', microtime(true) - $t);


// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Test writing object properties using a closure bound to the object, once for all properties
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$t = microtime(true);

for ($i = 0; $i < 100000; $i++) {
    (function() use ($props, $values) {
        foreach ($values as $prop => $value) {
            $this->{$prop} = $value;
        }
    })->bindTo($object, Bar::class)();
}

writeResult('WRITE Closure bulk', microtime(true) - $t);