gprof2dot is a performance graph generator and visualizer that converts gprof GNU profiler execution profiles into Graphviz DOT files. It transforms raw profiler data into a directed graph to map function call hierarchies and identify software bottlenecks.
The tool employs heuristic-based color mapping to highlight performance hotspots by assigning colors to nodes and edges based on execution time percentages. It also supports differential profile analysis, allowing for the comparison of two distinct execution graphs to identify changes in timing and call counts between runs.
To improve visualization clarity, the project includes graph pruning capabilities that remove low-impact nodes and edges based on user-defined time or call count thresholds. These utilities enable the extraction of specific function entries to define the scope of the resulting performance map.