How can I use timeit for performance testing in Python?

How can I use timeit for performance testing in Python?

You can use the timeit module in Python to measure the execution time of small code snippets. It provides a simple way to time your code and compare performance.

Can you show me a basic example of how to use it?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

import timeit

def test_function():
    return sum(range(100))

execution_time = timeit.timeit(test_function, number=1000)
print(f'Execution time: {execution_time}')

What does the 'number' parameter do?

The 'number' parameter specifies how many times to execute the code snippet. In the example, test_function is called 1000 times to get a more accurate measurement.

Are there any other features of timeit I should know about?

Yes! You can also use timeit.repeat() to run the timing multiple times and get a list of results, which can help you analyze variability in execution time.