{"id":2055,"library":"gprof2dot","title":"gprof2dot","description":"gprof2dot is a Python script that converts the output from various profilers (e.g., cProfile, gprof, Valgrind callgrind, Linux perf, Java HPROF) into a Graphviz dot graph. This allows for visual analysis of performance bottlenecks and call flows within an application. The library is actively maintained with a current version of 2025.4.14, typically releasing updates on a yearly or bi-yearly basis.","status":"active","version":"2025.4.14","language":"en","source_language":"en","source_url":"https://github.com/jrfonseca/gprof2dot","tags":["profiling","visualization","performance","call graph","developer tools"],"install":[{"cmd":"pip install gprof2dot","lang":"bash","label":"Install with pip"}],"dependencies":[{"reason":"Requires Python 3.8 or newer to run the script.","package":"python","optional":false},{"reason":"Required externally to render the '.dot' graph files into images (e.g., PNG, SVG). Not installed by pip.","package":"graphviz","optional":false}],"imports":[{"note":"While primarily a command-line tool, gprof2dot also exposes a Python API for programmatic use, allowing direct parsing and graph generation without subprocess calls.","symbol":"gprof2dot","correct":"import gprof2dot"}],"quickstart":{"code":"# 1. Profile your Python code (e.g., using cProfile)\nimport cProfile\nimport time\n\ndef my_function():\n    time.sleep(0.1)\n    another_function()\n\ndef another_function():\n    time.sleep(0.05)\n\nif __name__ == \"__main__\":\n    profiler = cProfile.Profile()\n    profiler.enable()\n    my_function()\n    profiler.disable()\n    profiler.dump_stats(\"output.pstats\")\n    print(\"Profile data saved to output.pstats\")\n\n# 2. Convert the .pstats file to a .dot graph and render with Graphviz\n#    Run this from your terminal after the Python script above:\n#    gprof2dot -f pstats output.pstats | dot -Tpng -o output.png\n#    (Ensure 'dot' command from Graphviz is in your PATH)","lang":"python","description":"To use gprof2dot, first profile your application using a compatible profiler (e.g., Python's `cProfile`). Save the profiling output to a file. Then, use the `gprof2dot` command-line tool to convert this profiling data into the Graphviz DOT language, piping the output to the `dot` command (from Graphviz) to generate a visual graph image (e.g., PNG or SVG)."},"warnings":[{"fix":"Install Graphviz separately and ensure its `dot` executable is in your system's PATH.","message":"gprof2dot requires an external tool, Graphviz, to render the generated '.dot' files into visual graphs (like PNG or SVG). `pip install gprof2dot` does NOT install Graphviz. You must install Graphviz separately (e.g., `sudo apt-get install graphviz` on Debian/Ubuntu, or from its official website). Without Graphviz, the `dot` command will not be found, and image generation will fail.","severity":"gotcha","affected_versions":"All versions"},{"fix":"Ensure you are running gprof2dot with Python 3.8 or a later version.","message":"Support for Python 2.x has been dropped. gprof2dot now officially requires Python 3.8 or newer. Attempts to run on older Python versions will likely result in errors.","severity":"breaking","affected_versions":"< 2024.06.06"},{"fix":"Be aware of `gprof`'s limitations. For C/C++ profiling, consider alternative profilers like Valgrind's Callgrind or Linux `perf` for more accurate call graph information. Always compile with the `-pg` flag for `gprof` to work.","message":"When profiling C/C++ code with `gprof`, the resulting call graph data can sometimes be inaccurate or flaky. This can lead to misleading visualizations where the 'main' function isn't the root, or library functions appear as top-level callers. This is a limitation of `gprof` itself, not `gprof2dot`.","severity":"gotcha","affected_versions":"All versions (when using gprof input)"},{"fix":"Use the `-s` / `--strip` option to remove function parameters, template parameters, and const modifiers, or the `-w` / `--wrap` option to wrap long labels for better readability.","message":"Node labels in the generated graphs can become excessively long, especially when profiling C++ code with complex template names, scope information, or function arguments. This can make the graph unreadable.","severity":"gotcha","affected_versions":"All versions"},{"fix":"Users should be aware of the project's maintenance status and manage expectations for new features or rapid bug fixes.","message":"The project maintainer has indicated having 'little or no time for its maintenance', implying that new features are unlikely and response times for issues/pull requests may be slow. While the tool remains functional and receives occasional updates, active development for new features is not a priority.","severity":"gotcha","affected_versions":"2025.04.14 and later"}],"env_vars":null,"last_verified":"2026-04-09T00:00:00.000Z","next_check":"2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z"}