Simple performance test to compare Redis with PHP function file_get_contents() while constantly reading a simple “set” of data.

redis_vs_file_get_contents.php

<?php
/**
 * Checktime class
 *
 * This static class can make “speed” time marks secuentially. You start
 * your time counter with Checktime::start() and then you can save all
 * the marks you want by calling Checktime::mark('YOLO').
 */
class Checktime
{
	static public $start;

	static public function start()
	{
		$components = explode(' ', microtime());
		self::$start = (float) $components[0] + (float) $components[1];
	}

	static public function mark($label = null)
	{
		$components = explode(' ', microtime());
		$mark = (float) $components[0] + (float) $components[1];
		$time = $mark - self::$start;

		if (!$label)
			$label = 'Mark';

		echo "$label $time seconds.\n";
	}
}

/**
 * Parameters
 */

define('TOTAL_OPERATIONS', 10000);
define('FILENAME', '/tmp/redis_vs_file_get_content_data.txt');

echo 'Testing '.TOTAL_OPERATIONS." operations each for...\n";

/****************************************************************************
* TEST 1. Write directly to hard disk
****************************************************************************/

file_put_contents(FILENAME, '', LOCK_EX);

Checktime::start();

for ($n = 0; $n < TOTAL_OPERATIONS; $n++)
{
	file_put_contents(FILENAME, md5(rand()), FILE_APPEND | LOCK_EX);
}

Checktime::mark('Write disk  ->');

/****************************************************************************
* TEST 2. Read directly from hard disk
****************************************************************************/

Checktime::start();

for ($n = 0; $n < TOTAL_OPERATIONS; $n++)
{
	$data = file_get_contents(FILENAME);
}

Checktime::mark('Read disk   ->');
unlink(FILENAME);

/****************************************************************************
* TEST 3. Write directly to Redis
****************************************************************************/

$key = 'redis_vs_simple_file_get_contents_key';
$data = '';

$redis = new Redis();
$redis->connect('127.0.0.1');

Checktime::start();

for ($n = 0; $n < TOTAL_OPERATIONS; $n++)
{
	$data .= md5(rand());
	$redis->set($key, $data, 60);
}

Checktime::mark('Write redis ->');

/****************************************************************************
* TEST 4. Read directly from Redis
****************************************************************************/

Checktime::start();

for ($n = 0; $n < TOTAL_OPERATIONS; $n++)
{
	$data = $redis->get($key);
}

Checktime::mark('Read redis  ->');

$redis->close();

I think the script is flawed. It shouldn't do
$data .= md5(rand()); $redis->set($key, $data, 60);
Instead it should do
$data = md5(rand()); $redis->append($key, $data, 60);
-_-!!! Misleadinggg...