Add --env for benchmark environment overrides

README.md

@@ -155,6 +155,31 @@ Otherwise, inline the function into the benchmarked command:
 hyperfine -S 'my_function() { sleep 1; }; my_function'
 ```
 
+### Environment variables
+
+Use `--env` to set environment variables for benchmark commands and their respective setup, prepare, conclude,
+and cleanup commands. Assignments are space-separated and support shell-style quoting,
+but no shell expansion:
+
+```sh
+hyperfine --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8 CFLAGS="-O3 -march=native"' 'my_command'
+```
+
+Specify once for all commands or once per benchmark command:
+
+```sh
+hyperfine \
+  --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8' './benchmark-cpp' \
+  --env 'RAYON_NUM_THREADS=8' './benchmark-rust'
+```
+
+Use an empty `--env=''` for no overrides. Values can contain parameter placeholders.
+For example, the following benchmarks `my_command` with `OMP_NUM_THREADS` ranging from 1 to 8:
+
+```sh
+hyperfine -P threads 1 8 --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS={threads}' 'my_command'
+```
+
 ### Choosing metrics and units
 
 By default, hyperfine displays wall-clock time and memory usage

doc/hyperfine.1

@@ -192,6 +192,17 @@ This performs benchmarks for 'g++ \-O2 main.cpp' and 'clang++ \-O2 main.cpp'.
 The option can be specified multiple times to run benchmarks for all
 possible parameter combinations.
 .HP
+\fB\-\-env\fR \fIASSIGNMENTS\fP
+.IP
+Set environment variables for benchmark commands and their respective setup, prepare, conclude,
+and cleanup commands. Assignments are space-separated and support shell-style quoting,
+but no shell expansion, e.g. \fB\-\-env\fR 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8 CFLAGS="\-O3 \-march=native"'.
+Specify once for all commands or once per benchmark command, like \fB\-\-prepare\fR.
+Use an empty string for no overrides. Values can contain parameter placeholders.
+.IP
+For example, \fBhyperfine \-P threads 1 8 \-\-env\fR 'OMP_NUM_THREADS={threads}' 'my_command'
+benchmarks 'my_command' with OMP_NUM_THREADS ranging from 1 to 8.
+.HP
 \fB\-\-shell\fR \fISHELL\fP
 .IP
 Set the shell to use for executing benchmarked commands, including warmup runs

src/benchmark/benchmark_result.rs

@@ -18,15 +18,13 @@ pub struct BenchmarkResult {
     /// regardless of any custom name.
     pub command: String,
 
-    /// The custom name after parameter substitution, if it differs from `command`.
+    /// The custom or automatically generated name after parameter substitution,
-    /// For example, `--command-name="wait {duration}s"` with `duration=1`
+    /// if it differs from `command`. Automatic names include environment overrides.
-    /// produces `Some("wait 1s")`. Without a custom name, or when the expanded
-    /// name equals `command`, this is `None`.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub name: Option<String>,
 
-    /// The custom name (or `command`), followed by parameters not used in the
+    /// The name, followed by parameters not used in the command or environment
-    /// command template, in command-line order. For example, `sleep {duration}`
+    /// templates, in command-line order. For example, `sleep {duration}`
     /// with `duration=1`, `branch=main`, and the custom name `wait {duration}s`
     /// produces `wait 1s (branch = main)`. Without the custom name, this is
     /// `sleep 1 (branch = main)`. Used in summaries and table exports.
@@ -40,6 +38,10 @@ pub struct BenchmarkResult {
     /// Parameter values for this benchmark
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "BTreeMap::is_empty")]
     pub parameters: BTreeMap<String, Parameter>,
+
+    /// Explicit environment overrides after parameter substitution.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "BTreeMap::is_empty")]
+    pub environment: BTreeMap<String, String>,
 }
 
 impl BenchmarkResult {

src/benchmark/executor.rs

@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ impl Executor for ShellExecutor<'_> {
     ) -> Result<Measurement> {
         let on_windows_cmd = cfg!(windows) && *self.shell == Shell::Default("cmd.exe");
         let mut command_builder = self.shell.command();
+        command_builder.envs(command.get_environment());
         command_builder.arg(if on_windows_cmd { "/C" } else { "-c" });
 
         // Windows needs special treatment for its behavior on parsing cmd arguments

src/benchmark/mod.rs

@@ -61,8 +61,9 @@ impl<'a> Benchmark<'a> {
         output_policy: &CommandOutputPolicy,
         iteration: executor::BenchmarkIteration,
     ) -> Result<Measurement> {
+        let command = command.clone().with_environment_from(self.command);
         self.executor
-            .run_intermediate_command_and_measure(command, iteration, output_policy)
+            .run_intermediate_command_and_measure(&command, iteration, output_policy)
             .map_err(|error| {
                 let hint = if cfg!(windows) {
                     "Append ' || exit /b 0' to the command if this failure can be ignored."
@@ -443,6 +444,11 @@ impl<'a> Benchmark<'a> {
         Ok(BenchmarkResult {
             command,
             name,
+            environment: self
+                .command
+                .get_environment()
+                .map(|(name, value)| (name.to_owned(), value))
+                .collect(),
             display_name: self.command.get_name_with_unused_parameters(),
             measurements,
             parameters: self

src/cli.rs

@@ -119,6 +119,28 @@ fn build_command() -> Command {
                 .help("Perform exactly NUM runs for each command. If this option is not specified, \
                        hyperfine automatically determines the number of runs."),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::new("env")
+                .long("env")
+                .action(ArgAction::Append)
+                .num_args(1)
+                .value_name("ASSIGNMENTS")
+                .help("Set environment variables for benchmark commands and their respective setup, \
+                       prepare, conclude, and cleanup commands. Assignments are space-separated and \
+                       support shell-style quoting, but no shell expansion:\n\n  \
+                       hyperfine \\\n    \
+                         --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8 CFLAGS=\"-O3 -march=native\"' \\\n    \
+                         'my_command'\n\n\
+                       Specify once for all commands or once per benchmark command:\n\n  \
+                       hyperfine \\\n    \
+                         --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8' './benchmark-cpp' \\\n    \
+                         --env 'RAYON_NUM_THREADS=8' './benchmark-rust'\n\n\
+                       Use an empty --env='' for no overrides. Values can contain parameter placeholders. \
+                       For example, the following benchmarks 'my_command' with OMP_NUM_THREADS ranging \
+                       from 1 to 8:\n\n  \
+                       hyperfine -P threads 1 8 \\\n    \
+                         --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS={threads}' 'my_command'"),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::new("setup")
                 .long("setup")

src/command.rs

@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ use crate::{
 
 use clap::{parser::ValuesRef, ArgMatches};
 
-use anyhow::{bail, Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{bail, ensure, Context, Result};
 use rust_decimal::Decimal;
 
+type Environment = Vec<(String, String)>;
+
 /// A command that should be benchmarked.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Command<'a> {
@@ -28,6 +30,9 @@ pub struct Command<'a> {
 
     /// Zero or more parameter values.
     parameters: Vec<ParameterNameAndValue<'a>>,
+
+    /// Environment overrides, before parameter substitution.
+    environment: Environment,
 }
 
 impl<'a> Command<'a> {
@@ -36,6 +41,7 @@ impl<'a> Command<'a> {
             name,
             expression,
             parameters: Vec::new(),
+            environment: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -48,14 +54,26 @@ impl<'a> Command<'a> {
             name,
             expression,
             parameters: parameters.into_iter().collect(),
+            environment: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 
     pub fn get_name(&self) -> String {
-        self.name.map_or_else(
+        match self.name {
-            || self.get_command_line(),
+            Some(name) => self.replace_parameters_in(name),
-            |name| self.replace_parameters_in(name),
+            None => {
-        )
+                let environment = self
+                    .get_environment()
+                    .map(|(name, value)| format!("{name}={}", shell_words::quote(&value)))
+                    .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                    .join(" ");
+                if environment.is_empty() {
+                    self.get_command_line()
+                } else {
+                    format!("{environment} {}", self.get_command_line())
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn get_name_with_unused_parameters(&self) -> String {
@@ -87,6 +105,7 @@ impl<'a> Command<'a> {
         if let Some(program_name) = tokens.next() {
             let mut command_builder = std::process::Command::new(program_name);
             command_builder.args(tokens);
+            command_builder.envs(self.get_environment());
             Ok(command_builder)
         } else {
             bail!("Can not execute empty command")
@@ -97,8 +116,24 @@ impl<'a> Command<'a> {
         &self.parameters
     }
 
+    pub fn get_environment(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&str, String)> {
+        self.environment
+            .iter()
+            .map(move |(name, value)| (name.as_str(), self.replace_parameters_in(value)))
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_environment_from(mut self, command: &Command<'_>) -> Self {
+        self.environment = command.environment.clone();
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn is_parameter_unused(&self, parameter: &str) -> bool {
-        !self.expression.contains(&format!("{{{parameter}}}"))
+        let placeholder = format!("{{{parameter}}}");
+        !self.expression.contains(&placeholder)
+            && !self
+                .environment
+                .iter()
+                .any(|(_, value)| value.contains(&placeholder))
     }
 
     pub fn get_unused_parameters(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = &(&'a str, ParameterValue)> {
@@ -137,8 +172,58 @@ impl<'a> Command<'a> {
 /// A collection of commands that should be benchmarked
 pub struct Commands<'a>(Vec<Command<'a>>);
 
+fn parse_environment(value: &str) -> Result<Environment> {
+    let mut environment = Environment::new();
+    for assignment in shell_words::split(value).context("Failed to parse '--env' assignments")? {
+        let (name, value) = assignment.split_once('=').with_context(|| {
+            format!(
+                "Invalid value '{assignment}' for '--env': expected an assignment like NAME=value or NAME=\"quoted value\"."
+            )
+        })?;
+        ensure!(
+            !name.is_empty()
+                && name.bytes().enumerate().all(|(index, byte)| {
+                    byte == b'_'
+                        || byte.is_ascii_alphabetic()
+                        || (index > 0 && byte.is_ascii_digit())
+                }),
+            "Invalid environment variable name '{name}' in '--env'"
+        );
+        // Keep only the last assignment, including case variants on Windows.
+        environment.retain(|(key, _)| {
+            if cfg!(windows) {
+                !key.eq_ignore_ascii_case(name)
+            } else {
+                key != name
+            }
+        });
+        environment.push((name.to_owned(), value.to_owned()));
+    }
+    Ok(environment)
+}
+
 impl<'a> Commands<'a> {
     pub fn from_cli_arguments(matches: &'a ArgMatches) -> Result<Commands<'a>> {
+        let mut commands = Self::build_from_cli_arguments(matches)?;
+        if let Some(values) = matches.get_many::<String>("env") {
+            let environments = values
+                .map(|value| parse_environment(value))
+                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+            let num_commands = commands.num_commands();
+            ensure!(
+                environments.len() == 1 || environments.len() == num_commands,
+                "The '--env' option has to be provided just once or N times, where N={num_commands} is the \
+                 number of benchmark commands."
+            );
+            for (index, command) in commands.0.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+                command.environment =
+                    environments[if environments.len() == 1 { 0 } else { index }].clone();
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(commands)
+    }
+
+    fn build_from_cli_arguments(matches: &'a ArgMatches) -> Result<Commands<'a>> {
         let command_names = matches.get_many::<String>("command-name");
         let command_strings = matches
             .get_many::<String>("command")

src/export/csv.rs

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ fn test_csv() {
 
     let results = vec![
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("echo command_a"),
             name: Some(String::from("command_a")),
             display_name: String::from("command_a"),
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ fn test_csv() {
             },
         },
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("command_b"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("command_b"),

src/export/tests.rs

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ fn get_output<E: Exporter + Default>(results: &[BenchmarkResult], unit: Option<U
 fn test_markup_export_auto_ms() {
     let results = [
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_auto_ms() {
             parameters: BTreeMap::new(),
         },
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 2"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 2"),
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_auto_ms() {
 fn test_markup_export_auto_s() {
     let results = [
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 2"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 2"),
@@ -182,6 +185,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_auto_s() {
             parameters: BTreeMap::new(),
         },
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
@@ -259,6 +263,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_auto_s() {
 fn test_markup_export_manual_ms() {
     let timing_results = [
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 2"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 2"),
@@ -294,6 +299,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_manual_ms() {
             parameters: BTreeMap::new(),
         },
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
@@ -370,6 +376,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_manual_ms() {
 fn test_markup_export_manual_s() {
     let results = [
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 2"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 2"),
@@ -405,6 +412,7 @@ fn test_markup_export_manual_s() {
             parameters: BTreeMap::new(),
         },
         BenchmarkResult {
+            environment: BTreeMap::new(),
             command: String::from("sleep 0.1"),
             name: None,
             display_name: String::from("sleep 0.1"),

src/main.rs

@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ fn run() -> Result<()> {
     {
         for command in commands.iter() {
             let command_line = command.get_command_line();
+            if shell_syntax::starts_with_assignment(&command_line) {
+                bail!(
+                    "Cannot run '{command_line}' directly because it starts with a variable assignment.\n\
+                     Use the --env option to set environment variables, for example:\n\n  \
+                       hyperfine --env 'OMP_NUM_THREADS=8 CFLAGS=\"-O3 -march=native\"' 'my_command'\n\n\
+                     Alternatively, use -S / --shell=default to run the command in a shell."
+                );
+            }
             if let Some(operator) = shell_syntax::first_unquoted_operator(&command_line) {
                 bail!(
                     concat!(

src/shell_syntax.rs

@@ -1,8 +1,32 @@
-//! Conservative detection of shell operators in commands run without a shell.
+//! Conservative detection of shell syntax in commands run without a shell.
 
 use std::iter::Peekable;
 use std::str::CharIndices;
 
+/// Detects the variable assignment at the start of a command like
+/// `OMP_NUM_THREADS=8 my_command`.
+pub fn starts_with_assignment(command: &str) -> bool {
+    let Some(token) = tokenize(command).next() else {
+        return false;
+    };
+    let mut bytes = token.bytes();
+    if !bytes
+        .next()
+        .is_some_and(|byte| byte.is_ascii_alphabetic() || byte == b'_')
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    for byte in bytes {
+        if byte == b'=' {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if !byte.is_ascii_alphanumeric() && byte != b'_' {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+    false
+}
+
 /// Find the first standalone operator that is neither quoted nor escaped.
 ///
 /// Operators attached to another word (such as `hello>out`), expansions, and
@@ -90,7 +114,30 @@ impl<'a> Iterator for Tokens<'a> {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
-    use super::{first_unquoted_operator, tokenize};
+    use super::{first_unquoted_operator, starts_with_assignment, tokenize};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn detects_leading_assignments() {
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment("A=1 command"));
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment("A=$HOME command"));
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment("A= command"));
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment("_A2='hello world' B=2 command"));
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment("A=1"));
+        assert!(starts_with_assignment(" # comment\n A=1 command"));
+
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment(""));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("# A=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("command A=1"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("env A=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("'A=1' command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("\"A\"=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment(r"A\=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("./A=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("1A=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("A-B=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("=1 command"));
+        assert!(!starts_with_assignment("A"));
+    }
 
     #[test]
     fn tokenizer_preserves_words_quotes_and_escapes() {

tests/integration_tests.rs

@@ -53,6 +53,66 @@ fn one_run_is_supported() {
         .success();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn environment_basic_usage() {
+    let command = if cfg!(windows) {
+        "echo %HYPERFINE_TEST%"
+    } else {
+        "echo \"$HYPERFINE_TEST\""
+    };
+    hyperfine()
+        .args(["--shell=default", "--runs=1", "--show-output"])
+        .arg("--command-name=env-test")
+        .args(["--env", r#"HYPERFINE_TEST="hello, world""#])
+        .arg(command)
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout(predicate::str::contains("hello, world"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn environment_parameter_expansion() {
+    let command = if cfg!(windows) {
+        "echo %HYPERFINE_TEST%"
+    } else {
+        "echo \"$HYPERFINE_TEST\""
+    };
+    hyperfine()
+        .args(["--shell=default", "--runs=1", "--show-output"])
+        .arg("--command-name=env-test")
+        .args(["-P", "value", "1", "2"])
+        .args(["--env", "HYPERFINE_TEST=hello-{value}"])
+        .arg(command)
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout(predicate::str::contains("hello-1"))
+        .stdout(predicate::str::contains("hello-2"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn rejects_invalid_environment() {
+    hyperfine()
+        .args(["--env", "OMP_NUM_THREADS"])
+        .arg("my_command")
+        .assert()
+        .failure()
+        .stderr(predicate::str::contains(
+            "Invalid value 'OMP_NUM_THREADS' for '--env': expected an assignment like NAME=value or NAME=\"quoted value\".",
+        ));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn requires_explicit_shell_for_environment_assignments() {
+    // Without an explicit shell choice, report the leading variable assignment.
+    hyperfine()
+        .args(["--runs=1", "SOME_ENV_VAR=$HOME my_command"])
+        .assert()
+        .failure()
+        .stderr(predicate::str::contains(
+            "starts with a variable assignment",
+        ));
+}
+
 /// Regression test: hyperfine must not panic when writing to a closed
 /// stdout pipe (e.g. `hyperfine ... | head -n 1` or a downstream process
 /// that terminates early). A `BrokenPipe` error should result in a quiet