PHP Timer is a utility class for measuring elapsed time and resource consumption in PHP applications.
The tool solves the problem of tracking execution duration and resource usage by providing a simple API to start timers, stop them, and retrieve formatted results. It measures elapsed time in seconds and can report peak memory usage and total memory allocated. The approach is straightforward: instantiate a timer, call methods to mark start and stop points, and retrieve human-readable output showing duration and resource metrics.
Developers should choose this tool when they need lightweight timing instrumentation in PHP projects, particularly during development and testing. It suits applications where you want to measure how long specific operations take or monitor memory consumption without adding heavy dependencies. The tool is especially useful in test suites and development workflows where understanding performance characteristics matters.
The project maintains a focused scope with minimal external dependencies, making it suitable for inclusion in both production and development environments. It originated as a component factored out of PHPUnit, giving it a proven foundation in a widely-used testing framework. The codebase remains stable and receives maintenance to address compatibility with current PHP versions, though the core functionality has remained consistent over time. Updates are infrequent, reflecting the mature and complete nature of the utility rather than active feature development.
