# Code Size

> Use when comparing TinyUSB code size between a base ref (master by default) and the current branch to evaluate the size impact of changes. Three granularities — single example on one board (with optional bloaty), all examples on one board, or all examples across CI families combined.

- Skill: `prusa3d/code-size` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add prusa3d/code-size`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/prusa3d/code-size/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: prusa3d (https://skillmd.com/u/prusa3d)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/prusa3d/code-size

---


# Code Size Comparison

Compare TinyUSB code size between a base ref (default `master`) and the current branch using `tools/metrics_compare_base.py`. Three granularities — pick the narrowest one that exercises your change:

| Granularity | When to use | Command |
|---|---|---|
| **single example, one board** | Focused change touching one feature | `-b BOARD -e device/cdc_msc` |
| **all examples, one board** | Per-board regression sweep | `-b BOARD` |
| **all examples, all CI families (combined)** | Pre-merge full check | `--ci` |

The script handles the full base-vs-branch dance:
1. Creates a temporary git worktree of the base ref under `cmake-metrics/_worktree/`.
2. Builds the base in `cmake-metrics/<board>/base/`.
3. Builds the current tree in `cmake-metrics/<board>/build/`.
4. Runs `tools/metrics.py compare` and writes `cmake-metrics/<board>/metrics_compare.md`.
5. Removes the worktree on exit.

`--combined` (auto-set by `--ci`) also produces `cmake-metrics/_combined/metrics_compare.md` aggregating across all boards.

## Choosing arguments

Infer from the user's request:

- **Board(s):** named board → `-b BOARD` (repeatable). "All boards" / "CI" / "full sweep" → `--ci` (first board of each arm-gcc family). Default to a fast board (`raspberry_pi_pico`) if unspecified for an iterative check.
- **Example:** named example → `-e <group>/<name>` (e.g. `-e device/cdc_msc`). "All examples" → omit `-e`.
- **Bloaty:** only with `-e`. Use when the user wants a section/symbol-level breakdown for a single binary.
- **Base ref:** default `master`. Override with `--base-branch <ref>` (tag or commit also works).
- **Filter:** default is the absolute path of each side's `<checkout>/src/` directory, which uniquely identifies TinyUSB stack code without matching vendored deps that also have a `src/` (e.g. `pico-sdk/src/`). Override with one or more `-f SUBSTRING` flags to use repo-relative substrings instead. Change only if asked.

## Common invocations

```bash
# Single example, one board (linkermap, fastest):
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py -b raspberry_pi_pico -e device/cdc_msc

# Same with bloaty for section/symbol breakdown:
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py -b raspberry_pi_pico -e device/cdc_msc --bloaty

# All examples for one board:
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py -b raspberry_pi_pico

# Multiple boards, one combined report:
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py -b raspberry_pi_pico -b raspberry_pi_pico2 --combined

# Full CI sweep (first board per arm-gcc family, combined):
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py --ci

# Compare against a tag/commit instead of master:
python3 tools/metrics_compare_base.py -b raspberry_pi_pico --base-branch v0.18.0
```

## Outputs

- **Per-board:** `cmake-metrics/<board>/metrics_compare.md` (and `_<example>.md` when `-e` is set)
- **Combined (with `--combined`/`--ci`):** `cmake-metrics/_combined/metrics_compare.md`
- **Bloaty:** printed to stdout as section + symbol diffs

## Timing

- Single example, single board: ~30 s
- All examples, single board: ~60-90 s
- `--ci` (all arm-gcc families, first board each): 4-8 minutes — sequential sweep across boards (Ninja parallelizes within each board, not across)

Use timeouts ≥ 10 minutes (600000 ms) for `--ci`.

## Reporting results

After running:
- Show the markdown report's summary table to the user.
- Highlight any rows with non-zero `% diff` — under the default filter every row is a TinyUSB stack source file (e.g. `usbd.c`, `cdc_device.c`, `dcd_<port>.c`), so any non-zero delta is a real stack-size impact.
- If the diff is unexpected, follow up with a single-example `--bloaty` run to localize.