cputime

CPU time used by MATLAB

Syntax

t = cputime

Description

t = cputime returns the total CPU time used by MATLAB^® since it was started. The returned CPU time is expressed in seconds.

Each call to cputime returns the total CPU time used by MATLAB up to the point when the function is called. To measure the CPU time used to run your code, place two calls to cputime before and after the code, and then calculate the difference between the returned values.

Examples

Measure CPU Time to Run Code

Measure the CPU time used to run surf(peaks(40)).

tStart = cputime;
surf(peaks(40))

tEnd = cputime - tStart

tEnd = 
1.3200

Tips

• To measure the performance of your code, use the timeit or tic and toc functions. Unlike the cputime function, which measures CPU time, timeit or tic/toc return wall-clock time.

  For example, the CPU time for pause is typically small:

  tStart = cputime;
  pause(1)
  tEnd = cputime - tStart
  

  tEnd =
  
      0.1094
  

  However, the wall-clock time accounts for the actual time that MATLAB execution is paused:

  tic
  pause(1)
  toc

  Elapsed time is 1.000483 seconds.
  

  For more information, see Measure the Performance of Your Code.

Extended Capabilities

Thread-Based Environment

Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.

This function fully supports thread-based environments. For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions in Thread-Based Environment.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a