sort_speed.py

import datetime


class Foo:
    def __init__(self, x):
        self.x = x


def x_key(foo):
    return foo.x


def measure_sort(iterable, keyfunc):
    time_start = datetime.datetime.now()

    xs = list(iterable)

    time_middle = datetime.datetime.now()

    sorted(xs, key=keyfunc)

    time_end = datetime.datetime.now()

    time_list = time_middle - time_start
    time_sort = time_end - time_middle

    print('list: {}, sort: {}'.format(time_list, time_sort))


def subiter():
    return range(int(ITER_COUNT))

ITER_COUNT = 1e7

if __name__ == '__main__':
    ints = subiter()
    foos = (Foo(x) for x in subiter())
    measure_sort(ints, None)
    measure_sort(foos, x_key)

list: 0:00:00.432542, sort: 0:00:00.385156
list: 0:00:14.495493, sort: 0:00:02.550600