Need for Speed: A Comprehensive Benchmark of JPEG Decoders in Python

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Iglovikov, Vladimir
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Iglovikov, Vladimir
author_facet Iglovikov, Vladimir
contents Image loading represents a critical bottleneck in modern machine learning pipelines, particularly in computer vision tasks where JPEG remains the dominant format. This study presents a systematic performance analysis of nine popular Python JPEG decoding libraries on different computing architectures. We benchmark traditional image processing libraries (Pillow, OpenCV), machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), and specialized decoders (jpeg4py, kornia-rs) on both ARM64 (Apple M4 Max) and x86\_64 (AMD Threadripper) platforms. Our findings reveal that modern implementations using libjpeg-turbo achieve up to 1.5x faster decoding speeds compared to traditional approaches. We provide evidence-based recommendations for choosing optimal JPEG decoders across different scenarios, from high-throughput training pipelines to real-time applications. This comprehensive analysis helps practitioners make informed decisions about image loading infrastructure, potentially reducing training times and improving system efficiency.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_13131
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Need for Speed: A Comprehensive Benchmark of JPEG Decoders in Python
Iglovikov, Vladimir
Image and Video Processing
Performance
Image loading represents a critical bottleneck in modern machine learning pipelines, particularly in computer vision tasks where JPEG remains the dominant format. This study presents a systematic performance analysis of nine popular Python JPEG decoding libraries on different computing architectures. We benchmark traditional image processing libraries (Pillow, OpenCV), machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), and specialized decoders (jpeg4py, kornia-rs) on both ARM64 (Apple M4 Max) and x86\_64 (AMD Threadripper) platforms. Our findings reveal that modern implementations using libjpeg-turbo achieve up to 1.5x faster decoding speeds compared to traditional approaches. We provide evidence-based recommendations for choosing optimal JPEG decoders across different scenarios, from high-throughput training pipelines to real-time applications. This comprehensive analysis helps practitioners make informed decisions about image loading infrastructure, potentially reducing training times and improving system efficiency.
title Need for Speed: A Comprehensive Benchmark of JPEG Decoders in Python
topic Image and Video Processing
Performance
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.13131