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llm 0.34 adds response duration tracking to command-line LLM logs
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The llm 0.34 release introduces millisecond-precision timing in log outputs for command-line LLM interactions
Engineers running LLMs from the command line now have built-in instrumentation for latency. This reduces the need for external timing tools when debugging or optimizing model responses. The change is small but removes a recurring friction point for CLI-based workflows
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llm logs --usage now includes response duration in milliseconds and human-readable format
llm logs --short adds a duration_ms field for script-friendly parsing
Performance improvements to the logs command accompany the new timing data
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What the cluster adds up to.
The llm 0.34 release adds timing instrumentation directly to its command-line interface. The new --usage flag for the logs command outputs response durations in both machine-readable milliseconds and human-readable formats. This change targets engineers who need to measure model performance without modifying their existing CLI workflows or adding external timing utilities.
The timing data appears in two contexts: Markdown-formatted logs gain human-readable durations, while the --short output adds a duration_ms field. This dual approach serves both interactive debugging and scripted automation. The performance improvement to the logs command suggests the timing feature was implemented with minimal overhead, though the material doesn't specify whether this affects log generation speed or just parsing
While the release notes mention several bug fixes, the timing feature is the only concrete change described. The material doesn't indicate whether this timing includes network latency, model processing time, or both. Engineers will need to test this in their specific environments to determine what exactly the duration_ms field measures in their use cases
This update reflects a common pattern in CLI tools: adding instrumentation after the initial release. The timing data addresses a recurring need for performance monitoring that previously required workarounds. However, the material doesn't specify whether this timing is available for all supported models or just a subset, which could limit its utility for some users
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