diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 72d5034..e6543e5 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -153,4 +153,155 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     //
     // Lastly, the Zig build system is relatively simple and self-contained,
     // and reading its source code will allow you to master it.
+
+    // Benchmark step
+    const benchmark_step = b.step("benchmark", "Run benchmarks with hyperfine");
+    const benchmark_optimize = if (optimize == .Debug) .ReleaseSafe else optimize;
+    const benchmark_record_count = 100_000;
+    const include_jsonl = b.option(bool, "benchmark-jsonl", "Include JSONL in benchmarks (slow)") orelse false;
+
+    // Check for hyperfine
+    const check_hyperfine = b.addSystemCommand(&.{ "sh", "-c", "command -v hyperfine >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo 'Error: hyperfine not found. Install it with: cargo install hyperfine' >&2 && exit 1)" });
+    benchmark_step.dependOn(&check_hyperfine.step);
+
+    // Build test data generator
+    const gen_exe = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "generate_test_data",
+        .root_module = b.createModule(.{
+            .root_source_file = b.path("src/generate_test_data.zig"),
+            .target = target,
+            .optimize = benchmark_optimize,
+        }),
+    });
+    const install_gen = b.addInstallArtifact(gen_exe, .{});
+    check_hyperfine.step.dependOn(&install_gen.step);
+
+    // Rebuild main executable with benchmark optimization
+    const benchmark_exe = b.addExecutable(.{
+        .name = "srf",
+        .root_module = b.createModule(.{
+            .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
+            .target = target,
+            .optimize = benchmark_optimize,
+            .imports = &.{
+                .{ .name = "srf", .module = mod },
+            },
+        }),
+    });
+    const install_benchmark_exe = b.addInstallArtifact(benchmark_exe, .{});
+    check_hyperfine.step.dependOn(&install_benchmark_exe.step);
+
+    const run_benchmark = BenchmarkStep.create(b, .{
+        .gen_exe = gen_exe,
+        .srf_exe = benchmark_exe,
+        .record_count = benchmark_record_count,
+        .include_jsonl = include_jsonl,
+    });
+    run_benchmark.step.dependOn(&check_hyperfine.step);
+    benchmark_step.dependOn(&run_benchmark.step);
 }
+
+const BenchmarkStep = struct {
+    step: std.Build.Step,
+    gen_exe: *std.Build.Step.Compile,
+    srf_exe: *std.Build.Step.Compile,
+    record_count: usize,
+    include_jsonl: bool,
+
+    pub fn create(owner: *std.Build, options: struct {
+        gen_exe: *std.Build.Step.Compile,
+        srf_exe: *std.Build.Step.Compile,
+        record_count: usize,
+        include_jsonl: bool,
+    }) *BenchmarkStep {
+        const self = owner.allocator.create(BenchmarkStep) catch @panic("OOM");
+        self.* = .{
+            .step = std.Build.Step.init(.{
+                .id = .custom,
+                .name = "run benchmark",
+                .owner = owner,
+                .makeFn = make,
+            }),
+            .gen_exe = options.gen_exe,
+            .srf_exe = options.srf_exe,
+            .record_count = options.record_count,
+            .include_jsonl = options.include_jsonl,
+        };
+        return self;
+    }
+
+    fn make(step: *std.Build.Step, _: std.Build.Step.MakeOptions) !void {
+        const b = step.owner;
+        const self: *BenchmarkStep = @fieldParentPtr("step", step);
+
+        const gen_path = b.getInstallPath(.bin, self.gen_exe.name);
+        const exe_path = b.getInstallPath(.bin, self.srf_exe.name);
+        const count_str = b.fmt("{d}", .{self.record_count});
+
+        const formats = [_]struct { name: []const u8, ext: []const u8 }{
+            .{ .name = "srf-compact", .ext = "srf" },
+            .{ .name = "srf-long", .ext = "srf" },
+            .{ .name = "jsonl", .ext = "jsonl" },
+            .{ .name = "json", .ext = "json" },
+        };
+
+        var test_files: [4][]const u8 = undefined;
+        for (formats, 0..) |fmt, i| {
+            // Create hash from format name and record count
+            var hasher = std.hash.Wyhash.init(0);
+            hasher.update(fmt.name);
+            hasher.update(count_str);
+            const hash = hasher.final();
+
+            const hash_str = b.fmt("{x}", .{hash});
+            const cache_dir = b.cache_root.join(b.allocator, &.{ "o", hash_str }) catch @panic("OOM");
+            std.fs.cwd().makePath(cache_dir) catch {};
+
+            const filename = b.fmt("test-{s}.{s}", .{ fmt.name, fmt.ext });
+            const filepath = b.pathJoin(&.{ cache_dir, filename });
+            test_files[i] = filepath;
+
+            // Check if file exists
+            if (std.fs.cwd().access(filepath, .{})) {
+                continue; // File exists, skip generation
+            } else |_| {}
+
+            // Generate file
+            var child = std.process.Child.init(&.{ gen_path, fmt.name, count_str }, b.allocator);
+            child.stdout_behavior = .Pipe;
+            try child.spawn();
+
+            const output = try child.stdout.?.readToEndAlloc(b.allocator, 100 * 1024 * 1024);
+            defer b.allocator.free(output);
+
+            const term = try child.wait();
+            if (term != .Exited or term.Exited != 0) return error.GenerationFailed;
+
+            try std.fs.cwd().writeFile(.{ .sub_path = filepath, .data = output });
+        }
+
+        // Run hyperfine
+        var argv: std.ArrayList([]const u8) = .empty;
+        defer argv.deinit(b.allocator);
+
+        try argv.appendSlice(b.allocator, &.{ "hyperfine", "-w", "2" });
+        try argv.append(b.allocator, b.fmt("{s} srf <{s}", .{ exe_path, test_files[0] }));
+        try argv.append(b.allocator, b.fmt("{s} srf <{s}", .{ exe_path, test_files[1] }));
+        try argv.append(b.allocator, b.fmt("{s} json <{s}", .{ exe_path, test_files[3] }));
+        if (self.include_jsonl) {
+            try argv.append(b.allocator, b.fmt("{s} jsonl <{s}", .{ exe_path, test_files[2] }));
+        }
+
+        var child = std.process.Child.init(argv.items, b.allocator);
+
+        // We need to lock stderror so hyperfine can output progress in place
+        std.debug.lockStdErr();
+        defer std.debug.unlockStdErr();
+
+        try child.spawn();
+        const term = try child.wait();
+
+        if (term != .Exited or term.Exited != 0)
+            return error.BenchmarkFailed;
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/generate_test_data.zig b/src/generate_test_data.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19af81e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/generate_test_data.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+
+const record_count = 100_000;
+
+pub fn main() !void {
+    var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
+    defer _ = gpa.deinit();
+    const allocator = gpa.allocator();
+
+    const args = try std.process.argsAlloc(allocator);
+    defer std.process.argsFree(allocator, args);
+
+    if (args.len < 2) {
+        std.debug.print("Usage: {s} <srf-compact|srf-long|jsonl|json> [record_count]\n", .{args[0]});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    const format = args[1];
+    const count = if (args.len >= 3)
+        try std.fmt.parseInt(usize, args[2], 10)
+    else
+        record_count;
+
+    var stdout_buffer: [1024]u8 = undefined;
+    var stdout_writer = std.fs.File.stdout().writer(&stdout_buffer);
+    const stdout = &stdout_writer.interface;
+
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "srf-compact")) {
+        try stdout.writeAll("#!srfv1\n");
+        for (0..count) |i| {
+            try stdout.print("id:num:{d},name::User {d},email::user{d}@example.com,active:bool:true,score:num:{d}.5,bio:49:A \"complex\" string with\nnewlines and \\backslashes,status::active\n", .{ i, i, i, i });
+        }
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "srf-long")) {
+        try stdout.writeAll("#!srfv1\n#!long\n");
+        for (0..count) |i| {
+            try stdout.print("id:num:{d}\n", .{i});
+            try stdout.print("name::User {d}\n", .{i});
+            try stdout.print("email::user{d}@example.com\n", .{i});
+            try stdout.writeAll("active:bool:true\n");
+            try stdout.print("score:num:{d}.5\n", .{i});
+            try stdout.writeAll("bio:49:A \"complex\" string with\nnewlines and \\backslashes\n");
+            try stdout.writeAll("status::active\n\n");
+        }
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "jsonl")) {
+        for (0..count) |i| {
+            try stdout.print("{{\"id\":{d},\"name\":\"User {d}\",\"email\":\"user{d}@example.com\",\"active\":true,\"score\":{d}.5,\"bio\":\"A \\\"complex\\\" string with\\nnewlines and \\\\backslashes\",\"status\":\"active\"}}\n", .{ i, i, i, i });
+        }
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "json")) {
+        try stdout.writeAll("[\n");
+        for (0..count) |i| {
+            if (i > 0) try stdout.writeAll(",\n");
+            try stdout.print("{{\"id\":{d},\"name\":\"User {d}\",\"email\":\"user{d}@example.com\",\"active\":true,\"score\":{d}.5,\"bio\":\"A \\\"complex\\\" string with\\nnewlines and \\\\backslashes\",\"status\":\"active\"}}", .{ i, i, i, i });
+        }
+        try stdout.writeAll("\n]\n");
+    } else {
+        std.debug.print("Unknown format: {s}\n", .{format});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    try stdout.flush();
+}
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 13ab026..2bc582d 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -1,3 +1,124 @@
 const std = @import("std");
+const srf = @import("srf.zig");
 
-pub fn main() !void {}
+const CountingAllocator = struct {
+    child_allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
+    alloc_count: usize = 0,
+    free_count: usize = 0,
+    bytes_allocated: usize = 0,
+
+    fn alloc(ctx: *anyopaque, len: usize, ptr_align: std.mem.Alignment, ret_addr: usize) ?[*]u8 {
+        const self: *CountingAllocator = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ctx));
+        self.alloc_count += 1;
+        self.bytes_allocated += len;
+        if (self.alloc_count <= 25) {
+            std.debug.print("Alloc #{}: {} bytes\n", .{ self.alloc_count, len });
+        }
+        return self.child_allocator.rawAlloc(len, ptr_align, ret_addr);
+    }
+
+    fn resize(ctx: *anyopaque, buf: []u8, buf_align: std.mem.Alignment, new_len: usize, ret_addr: usize) bool {
+        const self: *CountingAllocator = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ctx));
+        return self.child_allocator.rawResize(buf, buf_align, new_len, ret_addr);
+    }
+
+    fn free(ctx: *anyopaque, buf: []u8, buf_align: std.mem.Alignment, ret_addr: usize) void {
+        const self: *CountingAllocator = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ctx));
+        self.free_count += 1;
+        return self.child_allocator.rawFree(buf, buf_align, ret_addr);
+    }
+
+    fn remap(ctx: *anyopaque, buf: []u8, buf_align: std.mem.Alignment, new_len: usize, ret_addr: usize) ?[*]u8 {
+        const self: *CountingAllocator = @ptrCast(@alignCast(ctx));
+        return self.child_allocator.rawRemap(buf, buf_align, new_len, ret_addr);
+    }
+
+    fn allocator(self: *CountingAllocator) std.mem.Allocator {
+        return .{
+            .ptr = self,
+            .vtable = &.{
+                .alloc = alloc,
+                .resize = resize,
+                .free = free,
+                .remap = remap,
+            },
+        };
+    }
+};
+
+pub fn main() !void {
+    var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
+    defer _ = gpa.deinit();
+    const base_allocator = gpa.allocator();
+
+    const args = try std.process.argsAlloc(base_allocator);
+    defer std.process.argsFree(base_allocator, args);
+
+    if (args.len < 2) {
+        std.debug.print("Usage: {s} <srf|json|jsonl>\n", .{args[0]});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    const format = args[1];
+
+    const debug_allocs = std.process.hasEnvVarConstant("DEBUG_ALLOCATIONS");
+
+    var counting = CountingAllocator{ .child_allocator = base_allocator };
+    const allocator = if (debug_allocs) counting.allocator() else base_allocator;
+
+    var stdin_buffer: [1024]u8 = undefined;
+    var stdin_reader = std.fs.File.stdin().reader(&stdin_buffer);
+    const stdin = &stdin_reader.interface;
+
+    // Load all data into memory first for fair comparison
+    var data: std.ArrayList(u8) = .empty;
+    defer data.deinit(base_allocator);
+    try stdin.appendRemaining(base_allocator, &data, @enumFromInt(100 * 1024 * 1024));
+
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "srf")) {
+        // TODO: Remove this code. SRF should be using an Arena allocator instead
+        const buffer = try base_allocator.alloc(u8, 200 * 1024 * 1024);
+        defer base_allocator.free(buffer);
+        var fba = std.heap.FixedBufferAllocator.init(buffer);
+        const srf_allocator = fba.allocator();
+        // remove ^^
+
+        var reader = std.Io.Reader.fixed(data.items);
+        const records = try srf.parse(&reader, srf_allocator, .{});
+        defer {
+            for (records.items) |r| r.deinit(srf_allocator);
+            srf_allocator.free(records.items);
+        }
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "jsonl")) {
+        var lines = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, data.items, '\n');
+        while (lines.next()) |line| {
+            if (line.len == 0) continue;
+            const parsed = try std.json.parseFromSlice(std.json.Value, allocator, line, .{});
+            defer parsed.deinit();
+        }
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, format, "json")) {
+        const parsed = try std.json.parseFromSlice(std.json.Value, allocator, data.items, .{});
+        defer parsed.deinit();
+        var count: usize = 0;
+        for (parsed.value.array.items) |item| {
+            _ = item.object.get("id");
+            _ = item.object.get("name");
+            _ = item.object.get("email");
+            _ = item.object.get("active");
+            _ = item.object.get("score");
+            _ = item.object.get("bio");
+            _ = item.object.get("status");
+            count += 1;
+        }
+        std.mem.doNotOptimizeAway(&count);
+    } else {
+        std.debug.print("Unknown format: {s}\n", .{format});
+        std.process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    if (debug_allocs) {
+        std.debug.print("Allocations: {}\n", .{counting.alloc_count});
+        std.debug.print("Frees: {}\n", .{counting.free_count});
+        std.debug.print("Bytes allocated: {}\n", .{counting.bytes_allocated});
+    }
+}