How to Create High-Resolution Timers in Linux with C ?

High-Resolution Timers in Linux with C

In the Windows operating system, QueryPerformanceCounter from the mmsystem.h header provides an efficient way to create high-resolution timers. This functionality is often sought after in C development for various purposes. However, a comparable solution is required in Linux for similar timing needs.

POSIX Clock and Boost ptime

To create high-resolution timers in Linux, C developers can utilize two primary approaches:

1. POSIX clock_gettime() Function: This function is part of the POSIX standard and offers a way to obtain the current time with nanosecond precision. It can be accessed using the following code:

#include <time.h>

void get_time()
{
    timespec ts;
    clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &ts);
    printf("Current time: %ld.%ld seconds\n", ts.tv_sec, ts.tv_nsec);
}

2. Boost ptime Library: The Boost C library provides a comprehensive ptime library for handling time-related tasks. It includes the high_resolution_clock class, which offers nanosecond-level resolution. Here's an example using Boost ptime:

#include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time_types.hpp>

void get_time()
{
    boost::posix_time::ptime now = boost::posix_time::microsec_clock::local_time();
    printf("Current time: %ld.%ld seconds\n", now.date().time_of_day().hours(), now.date().time_of_day().fractional_seconds());
}

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