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Working directory and paths

This page explains where Prof reads your module, where it writes bench/, and how paths are laid out under each tag so compare and tools can find data.

Before you begin

  • You have a go.mod at the directory you treat as the module root (usually the repo root for the module).
  • You run Prof with that directory as your current working directory (cwd), the same way you run go test ./... for that module.

What Prof uses from cwd

Prof uses your current working directory to find the Go module and to write bench/. Run from the same place you run go test for that module (usually the module root).

  • Benchmark discovery is relative to cwd (same rules as go test).
  • Output goes to bench/<tag>/ under cwd (terminology).
  • prof config init writes minimal prof.json and commented prof.json.example next to go.mod at the module root. Keep cwd aligned with that root when you expect those files to be found.

Directory layout under bench/<tag>/

Using Prof creates a bench/ tree next to your module, one folder per run (tag). That layout is how compare, tools, and go tool pprof find the same data.

Path What it is
bench/<tag>/ One labeled run: profiles, text extracts, and optional PNGs for that tag.
bench/<tag>/bin/<BenchmarkName>/ Binary profiles (.out), the durable source for go tool pprof.
bench/<tag>/text/<BenchmarkName>/ Human-readable profile listings (flat and optional package-grouped).
bench/<tag>/<profile>_functions/<BenchmarkName>/ Per-function extracts when configured; optional call-graph PNGs if Graphviz is installed.
prof.json Active config next to go.mod after prof config init or Manage configuration in prof ui.
prof.json.example Commented reference (not loaded); copy optional sections into prof.json. See Configure — generated files.

Details on collection flags and behavior: Collect profiling data. Configuration keys: Configure collection.

Configuration files

Both files live beside go.mod at the module root:

  • prof.json — active config (valid JSON). Created minimal by prof config init; add collection and track sections as needed.
  • prof.json.example — commented reference with doc links; not loaded by prof.

Testing / verify

From the module root, after a successful collect, you should see a new directory bench/<your-tag>/ with at least bin/<BenchmarkName>/ and text/<BenchmarkName>/ populated for the profiles you enabled.

If bench/ never appears, see Troubleshooting.

Next steps