Markdown Output Format

Introduction

Sailfish can generate comprehensive markdown files containing both individual test results and method comparison data using the [WriteToMarkdown] attribute. These files are GitHub-compatible and perfect for documentation, code reviews, and performance tracking.

Basic Usage

Apply the [WriteToMarkdown] attribute to any test class:

[WriteToMarkdown]
[Sailfish(SampleSize = 100)]
public class PerformanceTest
{
    [SailfishMethod]
    [SailfishComparison("Algorithms")]
    public void BubbleSort() { /* implementation */ }

    [SailfishMethod]
    [SailfishComparison("Algorithms")]
    public void QuickSort() { /* implementation */ }

    [SailfishMethod]
    public void RegularMethod() { /* implementation */ }
}

Markdown Structure

The generated markdown files use a well-organized, multi-section format:

Section 1: Session Metadata

# Performance Test Results
**Session ID:** abc12345  
**Timestamp:** 2025-08-03T10:30:00Z  
**Total Classes:** 1  
**Total Tests:** 3

Fields:

• Session ID: Unique identifier for the test session
• Timestamp: When the test session completed (UTC)
• Total Classes: Number of test classes with [WriteToMarkdown] in the session
• Total Tests: Total number of test methods executed

Section 2: Individual Test Results

PerformanceTest

Columns:

• Method: Name of the test method
• Mean (ms): Average execution time in milliseconds
• Median (ms): Median execution time in milliseconds
• StdDev (N=X): Standard deviation with sample size indicator
• CI95 MOE: Margin of error at 95% confidence (±ms)
• CI99 MOE: Margin of error at 99% confidence (±ms)
• Status: Test execution status with emoji indicator

Section 3: Method Comparison Matrices

Comparison Group: Algorithms

Columns:

• Method 1 / Method 2: Methods being compared
• Mean 1 / Mean 2: Mean execution times for each method
• Ratio: Performance relationship (e.g., "21.5x slower", "2.3x faster")
• P-Value: Statistical significance of the difference
• Significance: Visual indicator of performance change
  • ✅ Improved: Method 1 is significantly faster
  • ⚠️ Regressed: Method 1 is significantly slower
  • ➖ No Change: No statistically significant difference

Session-Based Consolidation

Markdown files use session-based consolidation, meaning:

• Single file per session: All test classes with [WriteToMarkdown] contribute to one file
• Cross-class comparisons: Method comparisons work across different test classes
• Unique naming: Files use session IDs and timestamps to prevent conflicts
• Complete data: All test results from the entire session are included

Example filename: TestSession_abc12345_Results_20250803_103000.md

GitHub Integration

The markdown format is designed for seamless GitHub integration:

1. Commit to Repository

git add TestSession_*.md
git commit -m "Add performance test results"
git push

2. View in Pull Requests

• Rendered tables: GitHub automatically renders markdown tables
• Emoji support: Status indicators display correctly
• Diff-friendly: Changes between test runs are easy to spot
• Searchable: Full-text search across all results

3. Link in Documentation

See [latest performance results](./TestSession_abc12345_Results_20250803_103000.md)

Advanced Features

Multiple Comparison Groups

When you have multiple comparison groups, each generates its own comparison matrix:

Comparison Group: StringOperations

Comparison Group: Collections

N×N Comparison Matrices

For groups with multiple methods, all pairwise comparisons are included:

• 2 methods: 1 comparison
• 3 methods: 3 comparisons (A vs B, A vs C, B vs C)
• 4 methods: 6 comparisons
• N methods: N×(N-1)/2 comparisons

Adaptive Precision Formatting

Sailfish uses adaptive precision to ensure readability:

• Large values (>1ms): 4 decimal places (e.g., 45.2000)
• Small values (<1ms): 6 decimal places (e.g., 0.123456)
• Tiny values (<0.001ms): 8 decimal places (e.g., 0.00012345)
• Zero values: Simple "0"

Mixed Test Types

The markdown includes both comparison and regular methods:

MyTest

Best Practices

1. Organize Your Tests

Use meaningful test class and method names since they appear in the markdown:

[WriteToMarkdown]
public class DatabaseQueryPerformance  // Clear class name
{
    [SailfishMethod]
    [SailfishComparison("QueryTypes")]
    public void SimpleSelect() { }      // Descriptive method name

    [SailfishMethod]
    [SailfishComparison("QueryTypes")]
    public void ComplexJoin() { }       // Descriptive method name
}

2. Use Descriptive Comparison Groups

Choose comparison group names that clearly indicate what's being compared:

[SailfishComparison("DatabaseQueries")]     // Good
[SailfishComparison("SerializationMethods")] // Good
[SailfishComparison("Group1")]               // Poor

3. Configure Output Directory

Set a consistent output directory for organized results:

var runner = SailfishRunner.CreateBuilder()
    .WithRunSettings(settings => settings
        .WithLocalOutputDirectory("./performance-results"))
    .Build();

4. Combine with CSV

Use both output formats for comprehensive reporting:

[WriteToMarkdown]  // Human-readable reports
[WriteToCsv]       // Data analysis
[Sailfish]
public class ComprehensiveTest { }

5. Version Control Integration

Add markdown files to version control for historical tracking:

# .gitignore - Include performance results
!TestSession_*.md

Troubleshooting

Empty Markdown Files

If markdown files are empty or missing:

1. Check attribute placement: Ensure [WriteToMarkdown] is on the test class, not methods
2. Verify test execution: Markdown is only generated after successful test completion
3. Check output directory: Verify the configured output directory exists and is writable

Missing Comparisons

If method comparisons are missing from the markdown:

1. Verify group names: Ensure methods use identical group names (case-sensitive)
2. Check method count: Need at least 2 methods in a group for comparisons
3. Confirm attributes: Both [SailfishMethod] and [SailfishComparison] required

GitHub Rendering Issues

If GitHub doesn't render the markdown correctly:

1. Check file encoding: Ensure markdown is saved as UTF-8
2. Verify table syntax: Ensure proper pipe (|) alignment
3. Test locally: Preview markdown in VS Code or other editor first

Integration Examples

CI/CD Pipeline

- name: Run Performance Tests
  run: dotnet test --logger "console;verbosity=detailed"

- name: Upload Markdown Results
  uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
  with:
    name: performance-results
    path: "**/TestSession_*.md"

- name: Comment on PR
  uses: actions/github-script@v6
  with:
    script: |
      const fs = require('fs');
      const markdown = fs.readFileSync('TestSession_latest.md', 'utf8');
      github.rest.issues.createComment({
        issue_number: context.issue.number,
        owner: context.repo.owner,
        repo: context.repo.repo,
        body: markdown
      });

Performance Tracking

// Compare current results with baseline
var currentResults = File.ReadAllText("TestSession_current.md");
var baselineResults = File.ReadAllText("TestSession_baseline.md");

// Parse and analyze differences
if (HasPerformanceRegression(currentResults, baselineResults))
{
    SendAlert("Performance regression detected!");
}

Documentation Generation

// Automatically update documentation with latest results
var latestResults = Directory.GetFiles("./performance-results", "TestSession_*.md")
    .OrderByDescending(f => File.GetCreationTime(f))
    .First();

File.Copy(latestResults, "./docs/performance/latest-results.md", overwrite: true);