A benchmark comparing various methods of downloading popular Swift packages

packages.json

{
  "Alamofire": {
    "name": "Alamofire",
    "url": "https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire",
    "version": "5.2.1"
  },
  "Charts": {
    "name": "Charts",
    "url": "https://github.com/danielgindi/Charts",
    "version": "v3.5.0"
  },
  "SDWebImage": {
    "name": "SDWebImage",
    "url": "https://github.com/SDWebImage/SDWebImage",
    "version": "5.8.0"
  },
  "ReactiveCocoa": {
    "name": "ReactiveCocoa",
    "url": "https://github.com/ReactiveCocoa/ReactiveCocoa",
    "version": "10.3.0"
  },
  "lottie-ios": {
    "name": "lottie-ios",
    "url": "https://github.com/airbnb/lottie-ios",
    "version": "3.1.8"
  },
  "SwiftyJSON": {
    "name": "SwiftyJSON",
    "url": "https://github.com/SwiftyJSON/SwiftyJSON",
    "version": "5.0.0"
  },
  "vapor": {
    "name": "vapor",
    "url": "https://github.com/vapor/vapor",
    "version": "4.8.0"
  },
  "RxSwift": {
    "name": "RxSwift",
    "url": "https://github.com/ReactiveX/RxSwift",
    "version": "5.1.1"
  },
  "Hero": {
    "name": "Hero",
    "url": "https://github.com/HeroTransitions/Hero",
    "version": "1.5.0"
  },
  "SnapKit": {
    "name": "SnapKit",
    "url": "https://github.com/SnapKit/SnapKit",
    "version": "5.0.1"
  },
  "Kingfisher": {
    "name": "Kingfisher",
    "url": "https://github.com/onevcat/Kingfisher",
    "version": "5.14.0"
  },
  "MBProgressHUD": {
    "name": "MBProgressHUD",
    "url": "https://github.com/jdg/MBProgressHUD",
    "version": "1.2.0"
  },
  "IQKeyboardManager": {
    "name": "IQKeyboardManager",
    "url": "https://github.com/hackiftekhar/IQKeyboardManager",
    "version": "v6.5.0"
  },
  "realm-cocoa": {
    "name": "realm-cocoa",
    "url": "https://github.com/realm/realm-cocoa",
    "version": "v5.0.2"
  },
  "Carthage": {
    "name": "Carthage",
    "url": "https://github.com/Carthage/Carthage",
    "version": "0.34.0"
  },
  "SwiftLint": {
    "name": "SwiftLint",
    "url": "https://github.com/realm/SwiftLint",
    "version": "0.39.2"
  },
  "PromiseKit": {
    "name": "PromiseKit",
    "url": "https://github.com/mxcl/PromiseKit",
    "version": "6.13.0"
  },
  "Moya": {
    "name": "Moya",
    "url": "https://github.com/Moya/Moya",
    "version": "14.0.0"
  },
  "CocoaAsyncSocket": {
    "name": "CocoaAsyncSocket",
    "url": "https://github.com/robbiehanson/CocoaAsyncSocket",
    "version": "7.6.4"
  },
  "Eureka": {
    "name": "Eureka",
    "url": "https://github.com/xmartlabs/Eureka",
    "version": "5.2.1"
  },
  "folding-cell": {
    "name": "folding-cell",
    "url": "https://github.com/Ramotion/folding-cell",
    "version": "5.0.2"
  },
  "NVActivityIndicatorView": {
    "name": "NVActivityIndicatorView",
    "url": "https://github.com/ninjaprox/NVActivityIndicatorView",
    "version": "4.8.0"
  },
  "SkeletonView": {
    "name": "SkeletonView",
    "url": "https://github.com/Juanpe/SkeletonView",
    "version": "1.8.6"
  },
  "Quick": {
    "name": "Quick",
    "url": "https://github.com/Quick/Quick",
    "version": "v3.0.0"
  },
  "SwifterSwift": {
    "name": "SwifterSwift",
    "url": "https://github.com/SwifterSwift/SwifterSwift",
    "version": "5.2.0"
  },
  "ObjectMapper": {
    "name": "ObjectMapper",
    "url": "https://github.com/tristanhimmelman/ObjectMapper",
    "version": "4.2.0"
  },
  "IBAnimatable": {
    "name": "IBAnimatable",
    "url": "https://github.com/IBAnimatable/IBAnimatable",
    "version": "6.1.0"
  },
  "CryptoSwift": {
    "name": "CryptoSwift",
    "url": "https://github.com/krzyzanowskim/CryptoSwift",
    "version": "1.3.1"
  },
  "swift-package-manager": {
    "name": "swift-package-manager",
    "url": "https://github.com/apple/swift-package-manager",
    "version": "0.6.0"
  },
  "R.swift": {
    "name": "R.swift",
    "url": "https://github.com/mac-cain13/R.swift",
    "version": "v5.2.2"
  },
  "PureLayout": {
    "name": "PureLayout",
    "url": "https://github.com/PureLayout/PureLayout",
    "version": "v3.1.6"
  },
  "Kitura": {
    "name": "Kitura",
    "url": "https://github.com/IBM-Swift/Kitura",
    "version": "2.9.1"
  },
  "Cartography": {
    "name": "Cartography",
    "url": "https://github.com/robb/Cartography",
    "version": "4.0.0"
  },
  "SQLite.swift": {
    "name": "SQLite.swift",
    "url": "https://github.com/stephencelis/SQLite.swift",
    "version": "0.12.2"
  },
  "Reachability.swift": {
    "name": "Reachability.swift",
    "url": "https://github.com/ashleymills/Reachability.swift",
    "version": "v5.0.0"
  },
  "JTAppleCalendar": {
    "name": "JTAppleCalendar",
    "url": "https://github.com/patchthecode/JTAppleCalendar",
    "version": "8.0.3"
  },
  "ReSwift": {
    "name": "ReSwift",
    "url": "https://github.com/ReSwift/ReSwift",
    "version": "5.0.0"
  },
  "facebook-ios-sdk": {
    "name": "facebook-ios-sdk",
    "url": "https://github.com/facebook/facebook-ios-sdk",
    "version": "v7.0.0"
  },
  "SwiftGen": {
    "name": "SwiftGen",
    "url": "https://github.com/SwiftGen/SwiftGen",
    "version": "6.1.0"
  },
  "Starscream": {
    "name": "Starscream",
    "url": "https://github.com/daltoniam/Starscream",
    "version": "3.1.1"
  },
  "swift-nio": {
    "name": "swift-nio",
    "url": "https://github.com/apple/swift-nio",
    "version": "2.18.0"
  },
  "ViewAnimator": {
    "name": "ViewAnimator",
    "url": "https://github.com/marcosgriselli/ViewAnimator",
    "version": "2.7.0"
  },
  "SwiftDate": {
    "name": "SwiftDate",
    "url": "https://github.com/malcommac/SwiftDate",
    "version": "6.1.0"
  },
  "KeychainAccess": {
    "name": "KeychainAccess",
    "url": "https://github.com/kishikawakatsumi/KeychainAccess",
    "version": "v4.2.0"
  },
  "Macaw": {
    "name": "Macaw",
    "url": "https://github.com/exyte/Macaw",
    "version": "0.9.6"
  },
  "SwipeCellKit": {
    "name": "SwipeCellKit",
    "url": "https://github.com/SwipeCellKit/SwipeCellKit",
    "version": "2.7.1"
  },
  "Nuke": {
    "name": "Nuke",
    "url": "https://github.com/kean/Nuke",
    "version": "9.1.0"
  },
  "SwiftyStoreKit": {
    "name": "SwiftyStoreKit",
    "url": "https://github.com/bizz84/SwiftyStoreKit",
    "version": "0.16.0"
  },
  "SwiftyBeaver": {
    "name": "SwiftyBeaver",
    "url": "https://github.com/SwiftyBeaver/SwiftyBeaver",
    "version": "1.9.1"
  },
  "SwiftEntryKit": {
    "name": "SwiftEntryKit",
    "url": "https://github.com/huri000/SwiftEntryKit",
    "version": "1.2.3"
  }
}

Rakefile

require 'benchmark'
require 'tmpdir'
require 'json'

include Benchmark

namespace :benchmark do
  task all: %i[full_clone shallow_clone curl_unzip]

  task full_clone: ['packages.json'] do
    banner 'clone'
    benchmark { |package| `git clone #{package['url']} --quiet` }
  end

  task shallow_clone: ['packages.json'] do
    banner 'shallow clone'
    benchmark { |package| `git -c advice.detachedHead=false clone --depth 1 --branch #{package['version']} #{package['url']} --quiet` }
  end

  task curl_unzip: ['packages.json'] do
    banner 'curl + unzip'
    benchmark { |package| `curl -s -L #{package['url']}/archive/#{package['version']}.zip -o #{package['name']}#{package['version']}.zip && unzip` }
  end
end

task default: 'benchmark:all'

private

def banner(title)
  puts
  puts
  puts title
  puts '-' * title.length
end

def benchmark
  raise unless block_given?

  packages = JSON.parse(File.read('packages.json'))
  length = packages.keys.map(&:length).max

  Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp|
    Dir.chdir(tmp) do
      Benchmark.bm(length) do |x|
        packages.each do |name, package|
          x.report(name.ljust(length, ' ')) { yield package }
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

results.txt

clone
-----
                              user     system      total        real
Alamofire                 0.000136   0.000850   0.749258 (  1.448588)
Charts                    0.000083   0.000521   3.489720 (  7.009554)
SDWebImage                0.000083   0.000522   0.518336 (  1.374356)
ReactiveCocoa             0.000084   0.000533   1.125409 (  1.682766)
lottie-ios                0.000080   0.000517   0.677848 (  2.008858)
SwiftyJSON                0.000081   0.000541   0.115584 (  0.580434)
vapor                     0.000085   0.000532   0.724292 (  1.157188)
RxSwift                   0.000080   0.000515   1.008959 (  1.230171)
Hero                      0.000085   0.000542   0.528742 (  1.768519)
SnapKit                   0.000081   0.000551   0.129149 (  0.513823)
Kingfisher                0.000084   0.000521   0.912013 (  1.819731)
MBProgressHUD             0.000084   0.000536   0.122328 (  0.452931)
IQKeyboardManager         0.000086   0.000530   0.632610 (  1.380802)
realm-cocoa               0.000086   0.000527   2.343979 (  3.209463)
Carthage                  0.000084   0.000534   0.710062 (  1.500694)
SwiftLint                 0.000099   0.000572   1.575219 (  3.197901)
PromiseKit                0.000084   0.000535   0.267489 (  0.851714)
Moya                      0.000084   0.000536   0.604540 (  1.918609)
CocoaAsyncSocket          0.000081   0.000529   0.231591 (  0.683557)
Eureka                    0.000085   0.000539   0.502792 (  2.481602)
folding-cell              0.000085   0.000545   0.343322 (  1.333463)
NVActivityIndicatorView   0.000114   0.000539   0.176368 (  0.759250)
SkeletonView              0.000086   0.000529   0.179957 (  0.826394)
Quick                     0.000083   0.000530   0.199310 (  1.765293)
SwifterSwift              0.000081   0.000518   0.448863 (  2.627493)
ObjectMapper              0.000082   0.000536   0.142047 (  0.598192)
IBAnimatable              0.000082   0.000522   0.554057 (  1.842749)
CryptoSwift               0.000078   0.000525   0.391980 (  0.820891)
swift-package-manager     0.000087   0.000539   0.869737 (  1.320884)
R.swift                   0.000084   0.000542   0.220084 (  0.672758)
PureLayout                0.000082   0.000522   0.112897 (  0.474636)
Kitura                    0.000079   0.000507   0.317610 (  0.805428)
Cartography               0.000079   0.000511   0.104570 (  0.481281)
SQLite.swift              0.000087   0.000541   0.169530 (  0.624040)
Reachability.swift        0.000081   0.000537   0.073578 (  0.400479)
JTAppleCalendar           0.000081   0.000516   0.174830 (  0.546251)
ReSwift                   0.000080   0.000556   0.222758 (  0.825881)
facebook-ios-sdk          0.000096   0.000544   1.267827 (  3.875306)
SwiftGen                  0.000084   0.000528   1.407960 (  2.657347)
Starscream                0.000087   0.000535   0.146574 (  0.570999)
swift-nio                 0.000082   0.000511   1.402005 (  2.307524)
ViewAnimator              0.000082   0.000537   0.213198 (  1.231248)
SwiftDate                 0.000085   0.000517   0.621065 (  1.530479)
KeychainAccess            0.000083   0.000527   0.122294 (  0.525966)
Macaw                     0.000086   0.000524   1.629218 (  3.734845)
SwipeCellKit              0.000079   0.000563   0.219207 (  0.787884)
Nuke                      0.000084   0.000522   0.248210 (  0.694805)
SwiftyStoreKit            0.000092   0.000584   0.150986 (  0.707731)
SwiftyBeaver              0.000082   0.000546   0.116533 (  0.615893)
SwiftEntryKit             0.000084   0.000518   0.654047 (  2.576422)


shallow clone
-------------
                              user     system      total        real
Alamofire                 0.000089   0.000987   0.181577 (  1.276130)
Charts                    0.000099   0.000538   0.199058 (  1.085956)
SDWebImage                0.000085   0.000542   0.199057 (  1.268511)
ReactiveCocoa             0.000081   0.000538   0.101560 (  0.747305)
lottie-ios                0.000088   0.000581   0.302069 (  1.390870)
SwiftyJSON                0.000086   0.000539   0.099870 (  0.649720)
vapor                     0.000085   0.000549   0.092695 (  0.667052)
RxSwift                   0.000088   0.000557   0.208210 (  1.160036)
Hero                      0.000086   0.000537   0.434481 (  1.937651)
SnapKit                   0.000088   0.000566   0.098053 (  0.615319)
Kingfisher                0.000085   0.000543   0.170360 (  1.069342)
MBProgressHUD             0.000088   0.000552   0.073888 (  0.597525)
IQKeyboardManager         0.000084   0.000525   0.126740 (  0.866729)
realm-cocoa               0.000090   0.000533   0.241952 (  1.360770)
Carthage                  0.000085   0.000570   0.268701 (  1.323958)
SwiftLint                 0.000102   0.000580   0.141727 (  1.198796)
PromiseKit                0.000084   0.000533   0.072695 (  0.633645)
Moya                      0.000085   0.000563   0.085157 (  0.674803)
CocoaAsyncSocket          0.000087   0.000538   0.102473 (  0.737209)
Eureka                    0.000090   0.000554   0.400073 (  1.611943)
folding-cell              0.000090   0.000541   0.324667 (  2.043012)
NVActivityIndicatorView   0.000104   0.000549   0.088304 (  0.630883)
SkeletonView              0.000083   0.000536   0.103810 (  0.706556)
Quick                     0.000084   0.000534   0.088923 (  0.852848)
SwifterSwift              0.000087   0.000551   0.232277 (  1.370784)
ObjectMapper              0.000085   0.000532   0.105336 (  0.671433)
IBAnimatable              0.000084   0.000544   0.202773 (  1.123856)
CryptoSwift               0.000079   0.000555   0.074655 (  0.719163)
swift-package-manager     0.000082   0.000546   0.220772 (  1.057774)
R.swift                   0.000087   0.000575   0.128693 (  0.838331)
PureLayout                0.000089   0.000571   0.070046 (  0.621298)
Kitura                    0.000086   0.000550   0.113094 (  0.813256)
Cartography               0.000085   0.000542   0.125957 (  0.660371)
SQLite.swift              0.000085   0.000540   0.068487 (  0.618180)
Reachability.swift        0.000083   0.000540   0.085587 (  0.559912)
JTAppleCalendar           0.000083   0.000531   0.109751 (  0.794185)
ReSwift                   0.000087   0.000694   0.093764 (  0.679971)
facebook-ios-sdk          0.000090   0.000547   0.280746 (  1.594408)
SwiftGen                  0.000082   0.000524   0.416917 (  2.401701)
Starscream                0.000085   0.000553   0.060371 (  0.638762)
swift-nio                 0.000086   0.000537   0.133366 (  1.033090)
ViewAnimator              0.000086   0.000558   0.181537 (  1.091609)
SwiftDate                 0.000091   0.000589   0.094182 (  0.739587)
KeychainAccess            0.000097   0.000566   0.073815 (  0.635560)
Macaw                     0.000084   0.000525   0.121431 (  0.672766)
SwipeCellKit              0.000085   0.000527   0.171877 (  0.888319)
Nuke                      0.000086   0.000547   0.096800 (  0.702987)
SwiftyStoreKit            0.000087   0.000535   0.078165 (  0.649689)
SwiftyBeaver              0.000101   0.000731   0.080998 (  0.603176)
SwiftEntryKit             0.000085   0.000556   0.123608 (  0.810066)


curl + unzip
------------
                              user     system      total        real
Alamofire                 0.000083   0.000578   0.047543 (  0.438428)
Charts                    0.000085   0.000475   0.073209 (  0.673222)
SDWebImage                0.000085   0.000493   0.070839 (  0.963911)
ReactiveCocoa             0.000085   0.000486   0.034548 (  0.519555)
lottie-ios                0.000082   0.000471   0.121803 (  1.087244)
SwiftyJSON                0.000081   0.000483   0.028744 (  0.588119)
vapor                     0.000093   0.000507   0.031894 (  0.657963)
RxSwift                   0.000082   0.000492   0.041618 (  0.788529)
Hero                      0.000096   0.000509   0.249148 (  1.531092)
SnapKit                   0.000097   0.000492   0.028509 (  0.394953)
Kingfisher                0.000081   0.000472   0.055677 (  0.929202)
MBProgressHUD             0.000085   0.000482   0.035029 (  0.642001)
IQKeyboardManager         0.000081   0.000480   0.052291 (  0.749722)
realm-cocoa               0.000083   0.000476   0.049941 (  0.672720)
Carthage                  0.000080   0.000504   0.105637 (  1.503029)
SwiftLint                 0.000080   0.000497   0.039125 (  0.636095)
PromiseKit                0.000080   0.000476   0.030474 (  0.447122)
Moya                      0.000079   0.000500   0.033000 (  0.475439)
CocoaAsyncSocket          0.000079   0.000500   0.036218 (  0.640219)
Eureka                    0.000082   0.000500   0.138553 (  1.383653)
folding-cell              0.000124   0.000514   0.161265 (  2.136727)
NVActivityIndicatorView   0.000095   0.000522   0.038232 (  0.561053)
SkeletonView              0.000083   0.000507   0.049915 (  0.623630)
Quick                     0.000084   0.000566   0.039729 (  0.498851)
SwifterSwift              0.000080   0.000518   0.066981 (  1.434170)
ObjectMapper              0.000080   0.000496   0.028871 (  0.523576)
IBAnimatable              0.000078   0.000479   0.081879 (  1.143258)
CryptoSwift               0.000081   0.000529   0.031622 (  0.535472)
swift-package-manager     0.000077   0.000480   0.040918 (  0.593177)
R.swift                   0.000079   0.000483   0.047464 (  0.541360)
PureLayout                0.000079   0.000480   0.031533 (  0.661279)
Kitura                    0.000084   0.000532   0.041489 (  0.598221)
Cartography               0.000081   0.000472   0.037126 (  0.585534)
SQLite.swift              0.000079   0.000483   0.033331 (  0.591542)
Reachability.swift        0.000079   0.000498   0.028668 (  0.518653)
JTAppleCalendar           0.000081   0.000517   0.027403 (  0.464183)
ReSwift                   0.000095   0.000546   0.043128 (  0.653240)
facebook-ios-sdk          0.000079   0.000481   0.080229 (  1.435391)
SwiftGen                  0.000110   0.000488   0.066499 (  2.195309)
Starscream                0.000094   0.000525   0.029585 (  0.442313)
swift-nio                 0.000081   0.000515   0.041171 (  0.601788)
ViewAnimator              0.000083   0.000513   0.109572 (  0.990973)
SwiftDate                 0.000080   0.000490   0.037179 (  0.527112)
KeychainAccess            0.000080   0.000516   0.034888 (  0.501061)
Macaw                     0.000083   0.000501   0.037454 (  0.574375)
SwipeCellKit              0.000080   0.000518   0.079586 (  0.855079)
Nuke                      0.000080   0.000488   0.044444 (  0.539984)
SwiftyStoreKit            0.000078   0.000497   0.037934 (  0.585002)
SwiftyBeaver              0.000079   0.000503   0.028810 (  0.484051)
SwiftEntryKit             0.000080   0.000510   0.039134 (  0.602307)

Run with $ rake

Results reported for an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017), running on a CenturyLink Fiber Gigabit Internet connection in Portland, Oregon.

VERY similar iMac (although mine escaped the Dark Mode infection), network is worse - joined 350/35 & 80/20 giving about 100-200Mbps at the desktop.

Results: https://gist.github.com/richardgroves/e6fc682b94978cf161e1218e340b03e2