Software Architect's Handbook

Statistical profilers

Profilers that work by sampling, which are sometimes known as statistical profilers, let applications execute without any runtime modifications. This type of profiling is conducted outside of the application's process and overcomes some of the disadvantages of instrumentation.

An operating system (OS) interrupts the CPU at regular intervals, giving it an opportunity for process switching. Sampling works by collecting information during these interruptions. Sampling is less intrusive than instrumentation, as it allows the software system to execute close to its normal speed. The downside is the fact that the data collected are is often an approximation and is not as numerically accurate as data that can be collected through ...