Examples of using simpleperf to profile Android applications

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Profiling Java application
• Profiling Java/C++ application

Introduction

Simpleperf is a native profiler used on Android platform. It can be used to profile Android applications. It's document is at here. Instructions of preparing your Android application for profiling are here. This directory is to show examples of using simpleperf to profile Android applications. The meaning of each directory is as below:

../scripts/                  -- contain simpleperf binaries and scripts.
SimpleperfExamplePureJava/   -- contains an Android Studio project using only Java code.
SimpleperfExampleWithNative/ -- contains an Android Studio project using both Java and C++ code.

It can be downloaded as below:

$ git clone https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/extras
$ cd extras/simpleperf/demo

Profiling Java application

Android Studio project: SimpleExamplePureJava
test device: Android O (Google Pixel XL)
test device: Android N (Google Nexus 5X)

steps:

1. Build and install app:

# Open SimpleperfExamplesPureJava project with Android Studio,
# and build this project sucessfully, otherwise the `./gradlew` command below will fail.
$ cd SimpleperfExamplePureJava

# On windows, use "gradlew" instead.
$ ./gradlew clean assemble
$ adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/app-profiling.apk

2. Record profiling data:

$ cd ../../scripts/
$ gvim app_profiler.config
    change app_package_name line to: app_package_name = "com.example.simpleperf.simpleperfexamplepurejava"
$ python app_profiler.py
    It runs the application and collects profiling data in perf.data, binaries on device in binary_cache/.

3. Show profiling data:

a. show call graph in txt mode
    # On windows, use "bin\windows\x86\simpleperf" instead.
    $ bin/linux/x86_64/simpleperf report -g | more
        If on other hosts, use corresponding simpleperf binary.
b. show call graph in gui mode
    $ python report.py -g
c. show samples in source code
    $ gvim annotate.config
        change source_dirs line to: source_dirs = ["../demo/SimpleperfExamplePureJava"]
    $ python annotate.py
    $ gvim annotated_files/java/com/example/simpleperf/simpleperfexamplepurejava/MainActivity.java
        check the annoated source file MainActivity.java.

Profiling Java/C++ application

Android Studio project: SimpleExampleWithNative
test device: Android O (Google Pixel XL)
test device: Android N (Google Nexus 5X)

steps:

1. Build and install app:

# Open SimpleperfExamplesPureJava project with Android Studio,
# and build this project sucessfully, otherwise the `./gradlew` command below will fail.
$ cd SimpleperfExampleWithNative

# On windows, use "gradlew" instead.
$ ./gradlew clean assemble
$ adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/app-profiling.apk

2. Record profiling data:

$ cd ../../scripts/
$ gvim app_profiler.config
    change app_package_name line to: app_package_name = "com.example.simpleperf.simpleperfexamplewithnative"
$ python app_profiler.py
    It runs the application and collects profiling data in perf.data, binaries on device in binary_cache/.

3. Show profiling data:

a. show call graph in txt mode
    # On windows, use "bin\windows\x86\simpleperf" instead.
    $ bin/linux/x86_64/simpleperf report -g | more
        If on other hosts, use corresponding simpleperf binary.
b. show call graph in gui mode
    $ python report.py -g
c. show samples in source code
    $ gvim annotate.config
        change source_dirs line to: source_dirs = ["../demo/SimpleperfExampleWithNative"]
    $ python annotate.py
    $ find . -name "native-lib.cpp" | xargs gvim
        check the annoated source file native-lib.cpp.