Bencher
Self-HostedOpen-source continuous benchmarking for software development
Overview
Bencher is an open-source continuous benchmarking platform that helps developers track and compare code performance across commits, branches, and versions. It integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, etc.) to automate benchmark runs, catching performance regressions early. Supports multiple languages/runtimes (Rust, Python, JavaScript) and provides intuitive dashboards for visualizing trends, speedups, and slowdowns. Deployable via Docker or Kubernetes for self-hosted setups, its core is free and open-source for teams to host their own instance.
Self-Hosting Resources
Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml.
⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.
version: '3'
services:
bencher:
image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
container_name: bencher
ports:
- "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
volumes:
- ./data:/app/data
restart: unless-stopped Key Features
- Continuous benchmarking with CI/CD integration
- Multi-language/runtime support
- Performance trend visualization dashboards
- Regression detection alerts
- Self-hostable via Docker/Kubernetes
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is Bencher hard to install?
Bencher is straightforward to install for self-hosted setups using Docker Compose or Kubernetes. Official documentation provides step-by-step guides, and a basic instance can run in minutes. CI/CD integration only needs adding a few lines to your pipeline configuration.
? Is it a good alternative to Datadog Continuous Profiler?
Yes, Bencher is an excellent open-source alternative to Datadog. It focuses on continuous benchmarking (not just profiling) and lets you keep performance data on-prem to avoid vendor lock-in. For teams prioritizing cost and data control, it’s a strong choice.
? Is it completely free?
The core Bencher platform is 100% free and open-source under the MIT license. The self-hosted version has no costs, while the cloud-hosted version offers paid tiers for advanced features like team management, unlimited benchmarks, and priority support.
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Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Open-source core with no hidden costs
- ⊕ Automates performance testing to save time
- ⊕ Early detection of performance regressions
- ⊕ Flexible deployment options (self-hosted/cloud)
Cons
- ⊖ Requires basic CI/CD pipeline knowledge for integration
- ⊖ Cloud version has paid tiers for advanced team features
- ⊖ Smaller user community compared to enterprise tools