Is there a performance gain in using single quotes vs double quotes in ruby?

Question

Do you know if using double quotes instead of single quotes in ruby decreases performance in any meaningful way in ruby 1.8 and 1.9.

so if I type

qu         


        

Answer 1

I tried the following:

def measure(t)
  single_measures = []
  double_measures = []
  double_quoted_string = ""
  single_quoted_string = ''
  single_quoted = 0
  double_quoted = 0

  t.times do |i|
    t1 = Time.now
    single_quoted_string << 'a'
    t1 = Time.now - t1
    single_measures << t1

    t2 = Time.now
    double_quoted_string << "a"
    t2 = Time.now - t2
    double_measures << t2

    if t1 > t2 
      single_quoted += 1
    else
      double_quoted += 1
    end
  end
  puts "Single quoted did took longer in #{((single_quoted.to_f/t.to_f) * 100).round(2)} percent of the cases"
  puts "Double quoted did took longer in #{((double_quoted.to_f/t.to_f) * 100).round(2)} percent of the cases"

  single_measures_avg = single_measures.inject{ |sum, el| sum + el }.to_f / t
  double_measures_avg = double_measures.inject{ |sum, el| sum + el }.to_f / t
  puts "Single did took an average of #{single_measures_avg} seconds"
  puts "Double did took an average of #{double_measures_avg} seconds"
    puts "\n"
end
both = 10.times do |i|
  measure(1000000)
end

And these are the outputs:

1.

Single quoted did took longer in 32.33 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 67.67 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.032084099982639e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.171539549983464e-07 seconds

2.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.9 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.1 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 4.998066229983696e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.223457359986066e-07 seconds

3.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.44 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.56 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 4.97640888998877e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.132918459987151e-07 seconds

4.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.57 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.43 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.017136069985988e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.004514459988143e-07 seconds

5.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.03 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.97 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.059069689983285e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.028807639983705e-07 seconds

6.

Single quoted did took longer in 25.78 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 74.22 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.107472039991399e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.216212339990241e-07 seconds

7.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.48 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.52 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.082368429989468e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.076817109989933e-07 seconds

8.

Single quoted did took longer in 25.97 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 74.03 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.077162969990005e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.108381859991112e-07 seconds

9.

Single quoted did took longer in 26.28 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 73.72 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.148080479983138e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.165793929982176e-07 seconds

10.

Single quoted did took longer in 25.03 percent of the cases
Double quoted did took longer in 74.97 percent of the cases
Single did took an average of 5.227828659989748e-07 seconds
Double did took an average of 5.218296609988378e-07 seconds

If I made no mistake, it seems to me that both take approximately the same time, even though single quoted is slightly faster in most cases.