hyperfine executes benchmarks directly and runs setup and cleanup commands in a shell

Introduced 2026-10-07 · score 0.97

HOW TO USE IT

When benchmarking a repository command, Hyperfine runs the benchmark command directly by default. Add setup or cleanup hooks as needed; those hooks run in a shell even with `--shell=none`.

WHY THIS HELPS

Benchmark a repository command directly while retaining shell execution for setup and cleanup steps.

BEFORE THIS CHANGE

Before v2.0.0, benchmarked commands used a platform default shell: `sh` on Unix and `cmd.exe` on Windows. Use `-S` / `--shell=default` to restore that behavior.

REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS

• Version: v2.0.0
• <repository command> (required): Executable and its arguments to benchmark; each command argument is passed directly by default.
• -S / --shell=default: Select the platform default shell for benchmarked commands: `sh` on Unix or `cmd.exe` on Windows.
• --shell <SHELL>: Select a shell for benchmarked commands; may be a shell name or path. Alternative to `-S`/`--shell=default`.
• --shell=none: Run benchmarked commands directly without an intermediate shell; this is the default in v2.0.0. Setup, prepare, conclude, and cleanup hooks still run in a shell.
• --setup <CMD>: Run once before each set of timing runs.
• --prepare <CMD>: Run before each timing run.
• --conclude <CMD>: Run after each timing run.
• --cleanup <CMD>: Run after completion of all benchmarking runs for each individual command.
• Prerequisite: Hyperfine must be installed and available as `hyperfine` on `PATH`.
• The previous default shell is stated as `sh` on Unix and `cmd.exe` on Windows.

FIRST-PARTY EVIDENCE

• https://github.com/sharkdp/hyperfine/releases/tag/v2.0.0
• https://github.com/sharkdp/hyperfine/blob/v2.0.0/README.md

Check the installed version and the source before using it. Entry JSON

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