CUPS Software Performance Specification
Author: Easy Software Products

# Scope

## Identification

This software performance specification provides an analysis of the memory, disk, and processor utilitization of each program in the Common UNIX Printing System ("CUPS") Version 1.1.

For the purposes of comparison, all figures are for the Linux Intel platform. Memory utilization on other platforms should be similar.

## Document Overview

This software performance specification is organized into the following sections:

- 1 - Scope
- 2 - References
- 3 - Programs
- 4 - Scheduler Objects
- A - Glossary

# Programs

The following table describes the average memory, disk, and CPU usage of each program in CUPS.

The base memory column shows the initial memory requirements for each program, including any shared libraries that are provided by CUPS.

The max memory column shows the maximum amount of memory that will be used by the program based upon the default configuration settings supplied with CUPS.

The temp files column indicates whether any temporary files are created.

The CPU usage column specifies a relative CPU usage by the program under normal conditions, either low, medium, or high. Low usage indicates that the program will never use more than 33% of the available CPU time. Medium usage indicates the program will use as much as 66% of the available CPU time. High usage indicates the program uses 66% or more of the available CPU time.

Backends
Program | Base Memory | Max Memory | Temp Files | CPU Usage
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
ipp | 91k | 256k | Up to size of print file | Low
lpd | 89k | 89k | Up to size of print file | Low
parallel | 85k | 85k | Up to size of print file | Low
serial | 85k | 85k | Up to size of print file | Low
socket | 85k | 85k | Up to size of print file | Low
usb | 85k | 85k | Up to size of print file | Low
CGIs
Program | Base Memory | Max Memory | Temp Files | CPU Usage
admin.cgi | 107k | 256k | Up to size of PPD file | Medium
classes.cgi | 95k | Size of class objects | None | Medium
jobs.cgi | 93k | Size of job objects | None | Medium
printers.cgi | 95k | Size of printer objects | None | Medium
Command-Line Programs
Program | Base Memory | Max Memory | Temp Files | CPU Usage
accept | 88k | 128k | None | Low
cancel | 88k | 128k | None | Low
disable | 88k | 128k | None | Low
enable | 88k | 128k | None | Low
lp | 90k | 256k | None | Low
lpadmin | 148k | 256k | None | Low
lpc | 86k | Size of job and printer objects | None | Medium
lpinfo | 89k | Size of device and PPD objects | None | Medium
lpmove | 88k | 128k | None | Low
lpoptions | 89k | 128k | None | Low
lppasswd | 90k | 90k | None | Low
lpq | 87k | Size of job objects | None | Medium
lpr | 87k | 256k | None | Low
lprm | 84k | 128k | None | Low
lpstat | 119k | Size of job, printer, and class objects | None | Medium
reject | 88k | 128k | None | Low
Daemons
Program | Base Memory | Max Memory | Temp Files | CPU Usage
cups-lpd | 92k | 256k | One file per control or data file from client | Low
cupsd | 308k | See Scheduler Requirements | See Scheduler Requirements | Medium
cups-polld | 84k | Size of printer and class objects | None | Low
Filters
Program | Base Memory | Max Memory | Temp Files | CPU Usage
hpgltops | 263k | 320k | None | Medium
imagetops | 628k | 10M | Swap file for uncompressed image data | Medium
imagetoraster | 652k | 10M | Swap file for uncompressed image data | High
pstops | 775k | 840k | Up to size of print file | Medium
pstoraster | 4M | 14M | Swap file for command lists | High
rastertoepson | 693k | 1M | None | Low
rastertohp | 690k | 1M | None | Low
texttops | 638k | 4*cols*rows | None | Low

# Scheduler Objects

The `cupsd` program is the CUPS scheduler process. It manages many interdependent server objects that are used to manage and print files to printers.

The following table provides the memory and disk cost associated with each server object.

Object | Memory Per | Disk Per
--- | --- | ---
Browse ACL | 1k | 120
Browse Poll | 24 | 80
Browse Relay | 28 | 80
Certificate | 76 | 32
Class | 9k | 200
Client | 13k | -
Device | 256 | -
Job | 2k | 1k + size of document files
Location ACL | 1k | 120
MIME Filter | 268 | 80
MIME Type | 340 | 80
PPD | 200 | 656
Printer | 11k | 32k