leocavalcante · Sep 30, 2026 · Sep 30, 2026 · Sep 30, 2026
diff --git a/.github/copilot-instructions.md b/.github/copilot-instructions.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ validgen/
 │   ├── parser_validation.go  # Validation tag parsing
 │   └── test_elements.go      # Test condition building
 ├── types/                    # Common types and error handling
-└── tests/                    # Integration, unit, and benchmark tests
+└── tests/                    # Integration and end-to-end tests
 ```
 
 ## Code Style & Conventions
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func UserValidate(obj *User) []error {
 - **Unit tests**: Test individual validation parsing and code generation
 - **Integration tests**: Test complete struct validation generation
 - **End-to-end tests**: Test full CLI workflow with real Go files
-- **Benchmark tests**: Performance comparison with reflection-based validators
+- **Benchmark tests**: Performance comparison lives in opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks
 
 ### File Processing Workflow
 1. `FindFiles()` - Recursively discover `.go` files
@@ -167,13 +167,13 @@ Follow the [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0/
 # Typical development workflow
 make build                    # Build the binary
 make endtoendtests            # Run full test suite
-make benchtests               # Run performance benchmarks
+# Benchmarks live in opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks
 ```
 
 ## When Working on ValidGen
 
 1. **Always regenerate test validators** after code changes using `make endtoendtests`
-2. **Run benchmarks** to ensure performance improvements with `make benchtests`
+2. **Run benchmarks** from opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks when a change can affect generated validation speed
 3. **Test multiple packages** - structs in different packages should work correctly
 4. **Validate generated code** - ensure it compiles and passes tests
 5. **Maintain compatibility** - keep validator tag syntax compatible where possible

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
-.PHONY: clean unittests benchtests build endtoendtests cmpbenchtests testgen setup lint
+.PHONY: clean unittests build endtoendtests testgen setup lint
 
 BIN_DIR=bin
 BIN_NAME=validgen
 VALIDGEN_BIN=$(BIN_DIR)/$(BIN_NAME)
-BENCH_TIME=5s
+ifdef VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR
+export VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR := $(abspath $(VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR))
+endif
 GOLANGCILINT_PATH=$(HOME)/bin
 GOLANGCILINT_BIN=$(GOLANGCILINT_PATH)/golangci-lint
 
-all: clean unittests build endtoendtests benchtests cmpbenchtests
+all: clean unittests build endtoendtests
 
 clean:
 	@echo "Cleaning"
@@ -18,20 +20,13 @@ unittests:
 	go clean -testcache
 	go test -v ./internal/... ./types/... ./testgen/
 
-benchtests: build
-	@echo "Running bench tests"
-	find tests/bench/ -name '*_validator.go' -exec rm \{} \;
-	$(VALIDGEN_BIN) tests/bench
-	go clean -testcache
-	go test -bench=. -v -benchmem -benchtime=$(BENCH_TIME) ./tests/bench
-
 build: clean
 	@echo "Building"
 	go build -o $(VALIDGEN_BIN) .
 
 testgen:
 	@echo "Generating tests"
-	cd testgen/ && rm -f generated_*.go && go run *.go && mv generated_endtoend_*tests.go ../tests/endtoend/ && mv generated_validation_*_test.go ../internal/codegenerator/ && mv generated_function_code_*_test.go ../internal/codegenerator/ && mv generated_cmp_perf_*.go ../tests/cmpbenchtests/
+	cd testgen/ && rm -f generated_*.go && go run . && mv generated_endtoend_*tests.go ../tests/endtoend/ && mv generated_validation_*_test.go ../internal/codegenerator/ && mv generated_function_code_*_test.go ../internal/codegenerator/
 
 endtoendtests: build
 	@echo "Running endtoend tests"
@@ -43,12 +38,6 @@ endtoendtests: build
 	$(VALIDGEN_BIN) -unmarshal-json tests/jsonunmarshal
 	cd tests/jsonunmarshal; go run .
 
-cmpbenchtests: build
-	@echo "Running cmp bench tests"
-	$(VALIDGEN_BIN) tests/cmpbenchtests/
-	go clean -testcache
-	go test -bench=. -v -benchmem -benchtime=$(BENCH_TIME) ./tests/cmpbenchtests/
-
 setup:
 	@echo "Setting up"
 	curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/golangci/golangci-lint/HEAD/install.sh | sh -s -- -b $(GOLANGCILINT_PATH) v2.5.0

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -183,18 +183,19 @@ cd validgen
 make unittests
 ```
 
-## Steps to run the benchmark tests
+## Benchmarks
 
-The steps to run the benchmark tests are:
+Comparisons with [go-playground/validator](https://github.com/go-playground/validator) live in [validgen-benchmarks](https://github.com/opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks). That module holds the small three-way benchmark, the generated comparison suite, and the color helper check.
 
 ```bash
-# Enter in the project root folder
-cd validgen
-
-# Run the benchmark tests
-make benchtests
+git clone git@github.com:opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks.git
+cd validgen-benchmarks
+make bench
+make color
 ```
 
+`make cmp` runs the generated suite. The default bench time is 5 seconds per benchmark. `make cmp BENCH_TIME=100ms` is a shorter pass.
+
 ## Steps to run the end-to-end tests
 
 The steps to run the end-to-end tests are:
@@ -221,28 +222,14 @@ Build the CLI from this repository with `make build`. The binary is `bin/validge
 
 Pass `-unmarshal-json` to also generate `UnmarshalJSON` methods. The samples repository shows that flag on `signup`.
 
-## Steps to run the benchmark tests comparing ValidGen and Validator
-
-The steps to run the benchmark tests are:
-
-```bash
-# Enter in the project root folder
-cd validgen
-
-# Run the benchmark tests
-make cmpbenchtests
-```
-
-The command `make cmpbenchtests` invoke the following command:
-
-`go test -bench=. -v -benchmem -benchtime=5s ./tests/cmpbenchtests/generated_tests`
+## Recorded comparison results
 
-The setup used was:
+These numbers are from an Apple M4 Pro, 12 cores, running `go test -bench=. -benchmem -benchtime=5s` on the generated suite:
 
 ```bash
 goos: darwin
 goarch: arm64
-pkg: github.com/opencodeco/validgen/tests/cmpbenchtests/generated_tests
+pkg: github.com/opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks/cmp
 cpu: Apple M4 Pro (12 Cores used)
 ```
 

diff --git a/docs/internals.md b/docs/internals.md
@@ -162,12 +162,12 @@ The same path is rewritten on every run. Structs in one package and directory sh
 
 TestGen is `package main` in `testgen/`. `make testgen` runs it and moves the files it writes.
 
-`generate_tests.go` calls four generators. Each one executes a template under `testgen/`, formats the result with `go/format`, and writes a pair of pointer and non-pointer files.
+`generate_tests.go` calls four generators. Three of them execute a template under `testgen/`. The comparative benchmark generator reads its templates from `$VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR/cmp` when that variable is set. Each generator formats the result with `go/format` and writes a pair of pointer and non-pointer files.
 
 - `generated_endtoend_no_pointer_tests.go` and `generated_endtoend_pointer_tests.go` move to `tests/endtoend/`.
 - `generated_validation_code_no_pointer_test.go` and `generated_validation_code_pointer_test.go` move to `internal/codegenerator/`.
 - `generated_function_code_no_pointer_test.go` and `generated_function_code_pointer_test.go` move to `internal/codegenerator/`.
-- `generated_cmp_perf_no_pointer_test.go` and `generated_cmp_perf_pointer_test.go` move to `tests/cmpbenchtests/`.
+- `generated_cmp_perf_no_pointer_test.go` and `generated_cmp_perf_pointer_test.go` are written to `$VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR/cmp/` when that variable is set. The templates are in [validgen-benchmarks](https://github.com/opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks). TestGen skips those files when the variable is unset.
 
 The case list is `typesValidation` in `testgen/validations.go`. [testgen/README.md](../testgen/README.md) records which suites that list drives and which suites stay hand-written.
 

diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
@@ -3,20 +3,8 @@ module github.com/opencodeco/validgen
 go 1.24.3
 
 require (
-	github.com/go-playground/validator/v10 v10.28.0
 	github.com/sergi/go-diff v1.4.0
-	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
+	golang.org/x/text v0.29.0
 )
 
-require (
-	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
-	github.com/gabriel-vasile/mimetype v1.4.10 // indirect
-	github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1 // indirect
-	github.com/go-playground/universal-translator v0.18.1 // indirect
-	github.com/leodido/go-urn v1.4.0 // indirect
-	github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.42.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.36.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/text v0.29.0 // indirect
-	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
-)
+require github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
@@ -1,23 +1,9 @@
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
-github.com/gabriel-vasile/mimetype v1.4.10 h1:zyueNbySn/z8mJZHLt6IPw0KoZsiQNszIpU+bX4+ZK0=
-github.com/gabriel-vasile/mimetype v1.4.10/go.mod h1:d+9Oxyo1wTzWdyVUPMmXFvp4F9tea18J8ufA774AB3s=
-github.com/go-playground/assert/v2 v2.2.0 h1:JvknZsQTYeFEAhQwI4qEt9cyV5ONwRHC+lYKSsYSR8s=
-github.com/go-playground/assert/v2 v2.2.0/go.mod h1:VDjEfimB/XKnb+ZQfWdccd7VUvScMdVu0Titje2rxJ4=
-github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1 h1:EWaQ/wswjilfKLTECiXz7Rh+3BjFhfDFKv/oXslEjJA=
-github.com/go-playground/locales v0.14.1/go.mod h1:hxrqLVvrK65+Rwrd5Fc6F2O76J/NuW9t0sjnWqG1slY=
-github.com/go-playground/universal-translator v0.18.1 h1:Bcnm0ZwsGyWbCzImXv+pAJnYK9S473LQFuzCbDbfSFY=
-github.com/go-playground/universal-translator v0.18.1/go.mod h1:xekY+UJKNuX9WP91TpwSH2VMlDf28Uj24BCp08ZFTUY=
-github.com/go-playground/validator/v10 v10.28.0 h1:Q7ibns33JjyW48gHkuFT91qX48KG0ktULL6FgHdG688=
-github.com/go-playground/validator/v10 v10.28.0/go.mod h1:GoI6I1SjPBh9p7ykNE/yj3fFYbyDOpwMn5KXd+m2hUU=
-github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0 h1:L/CwN0zerZDmRFUapSPitk6f+Q3+0za1rQkzVuMiMFI=
 github.com/kr/pretty v0.1.0/go.mod h1:dAy3ld7l9f0ibDNOQOHHMYYIIbhfbHSm3C4ZsoJORNo=
 github.com/kr/pty v1.1.1/go.mod h1:pFQYn66WHrOpPYNljwOMqo10TkYh1fy3cYio2l3bCsQ=
-github.com/kr/text v0.1.0 h1:45sCR5RtlFHMR4UwH9sdQ5TC8v0qDQCHnXt+kaKSTVE=
 github.com/kr/text v0.1.0/go.mod h1:4Jbv+DJW3UT/LiOwJeYQe1efqtUx/iVham/4vfdArNI=
-github.com/leodido/go-urn v1.4.0 h1:WT9HwE9SGECu3lg4d/dIA+jxlljEa1/ffXKmRjqdmIQ=
-github.com/leodido/go-urn v1.4.0/go.mod h1:bvxc+MVxLKB4z00jd1z+Dvzr47oO32F/QSNjSBOlFxI=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/sergi/go-diff v1.4.0 h1:n/SP9D5ad1fORl+llWyN+D6qoUETXNZARKjyY2/KVCw=
@@ -26,14 +12,9 @@ github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.4.0/go.mod h1:j7eGeouHqKxXV5pUuKE4zz7dFj8WfuZ+81PSLYec5m4=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1 h1:7s2iGBzp5EwR7/aIZr8ao5+dra3wiQyKjjFuvgVKu7U=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1/go.mod h1:wZwfW3scLgRK+23gO65QZefKpKQRnfz6sD981Nm4B6U=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.42.0 h1:chiH31gIWm57EkTXpwnqf8qeuMUi0yekh6mT2AvFlqI=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.42.0/go.mod h1:4+rDnOTJhQCx2q7/j6rAN5XDw8kPjeaXEUR2eL94ix8=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.36.0 h1:KVRy2GtZBrk1cBYA7MKu5bEZFxQk4NIDV6RLVcC8o0k=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.36.0/go.mod h1:OgkHotnGiDImocRcuBABYBEXf8A9a87e/uXjp9XT3ks=
 golang.org/x/text v0.29.0 h1:1neNs90w9YzJ9BocxfsQNHKuAT4pkghyXc4nhZ6sJvk=
 golang.org/x/text v0.29.0/go.mod h1:7MhJOA9CD2qZyOKYazxdYMF85OwPdEr9jTtBpO7ydH4=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
-gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15 h1:YR8cESwS4TdDjEe65xsg0ogRM/Nc3DYOhEAlW+xobZo=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2/go.mod h1:hI93XBmqTisBFMUTm0b8Fm+jr3Dg1NNxqwp+5A1VGuI=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0/go.mod h1:RDklbk79AGWmwhnvt/jBztapEOGDOx6ZbXqjP6csGnQ=

diff --git a/testgen/README.md b/testgen/README.md
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ However, these generators lacked a common configuration, didn't implement all te
 
 ## What TestGen generates
 
-`typesValidation` in `validations.go` is the case list. `make testgen` walks that list and writes four suites. Each suite is a pointer file and a non-pointer file. The list contains non-field operations only.
+`typesValidation` in `validations.go` is the case list. `make testgen` walks that list and writes the end-to-end suite and the two unit-test suites. It writes the comparative benchmark suite when `VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR` is set. Each suite is a pointer file and a non-pointer file. The list contains non-field operations only.
 
-- Benchmark tests between ValidGen and GoValidator, in `tests/cmpbenchtests/generated_cmp_perf_*`.
+- Benchmark tests between ValidGen and GoValidator, written to `opencodeco/validgen-benchmarks` when `VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR` is set. The templates are `cmp/cmp_perf_*_tests.tpl` in that repository.
 - End-to-end tests for each validation, type class, and valid or invalid input, in `tests/endtoend/generated_endtoend_*`.
 - Unit tests for `BuildValidationCode`, in `internal/codegenerator/generated_validation_code_*`.
 - Unit tests for the generated validator function, in `internal/codegenerator/generated_function_code_*`.
@@ -114,4 +114,8 @@ cd validgen
 
 # Run testgen
 make testgen
+
+# Also regenerate the comparative benchmarks
+export VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR=/absolute/path/to/validgen-benchmarks
+make testgen
 ```
diff --git a/testgen/cmp_perf_no_pointer_tests.tpl b/testgen/cmp_perf_no_pointer_tests.tpl
diff --git a/testgen/cmp_perf_pointer_tests.tpl b/testgen/cmp_perf_pointer_tests.tpl
diff --git a/testgen/generate_cmp_perf_tests.go b/testgen/generate_cmp_perf_tests.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/opencodeco/validgen/internal/common"
@@ -23,11 +25,26 @@ type CmpBenchTest struct {
 }
 
 func generateComparativePerformanceTests() error {
-	if err := generateComparativePerformanceTest("cmp_perf_no_pointer_tests.tpl", "generated_cmp_perf_no_pointer_test.go", false); err != nil {
+	dir := os.Getenv("VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR")
+	if dir == "" {
+		fmt.Println("Skipping comparative performance tests: VALIDGEN_BENCHMARKS_DIR is not set")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	cmpDir := filepath.Join(dir, "cmp")
+	if err := generateComparativePerformanceTest(
+		filepath.Join(cmpDir, "cmp_perf_no_pointer_tests.tpl"),
+		filepath.Join(cmpDir, "generated_cmp_perf_no_pointer_test.go"),
+		false,
+	); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := generateComparativePerformanceTest("cmp_perf_pointer_tests.tpl", "generated_cmp_perf_pointer_test.go", true); err != nil {
+	if err := generateComparativePerformanceTest(
+		filepath.Join(cmpDir, "cmp_perf_pointer_tests.tpl"),
+		filepath.Join(cmpDir, "generated_cmp_perf_pointer_test.go"),
+		true,
+	); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}