diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 90c3bdc7bb..d2f1756c6c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2659,6 +2659,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "bytemuck",
  "cgmath",
  "colored",
+ "criterion",
  "env_logger 0.7.1",
  "futures",
  "glyph_brush",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5b4fe8cf10..777e51cf01 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,3 +34,6 @@ members = [
 [profile.release]
 lto = "fat"
 codegen-units = 1
+debug = true # enable when profiling
+
+
diff --git a/editor/Cargo.toml b/editor/Cargo.toml
index 61aec5ade5..fd79dd0fb8 100644
--- a/editor/Cargo.toml
+++ b/editor/Cargo.toml
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ maplit = "1.0.1"
 indoc = "0.3.3"
 quickcheck = "0.8"
 quickcheck_macros = "0.8"
+criterion = "0.3"
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "my_benchmark"
+harness = false
 
 # uncomment everything below if you have made changes to any shaders and
 # want to compile them to .spv
diff --git a/editor/benches/my_benchmark.rs b/editor/benches/my_benchmark.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69a0cc53a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/benches/my_benchmark.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+
+use criterion::{black_box, criterion_group, criterion_main, Criterion};
+use roc_editor::mvc::update::handle_new_char;
+use roc_editor::mvc::ed_model::{EdModel, Position, RawSelection};
+use roc_editor::mvc::app_model::AppModel;
+use roc_editor::text_buffer::TextBuffer;
+use ropey::Rope;
+
+// duplicate inside mvc::update
+fn mock_app_model(
+    text_buf: TextBuffer,
+    caret_pos: Position,
+    selection_opt: Option<RawSelection>,
+) -> AppModel {
+    AppModel {
+        ed_model_opt: Some(EdModel {
+            text_buf,
+            caret_pos,
+            selection_opt,
+            glyph_dim_rect_opt: None,
+            has_focus: true,
+        }),
+    }
+}
+
+fn text_buffer_from_str(lines_str: &str) -> TextBuffer {
+    TextBuffer {
+        text_rope: Rope::from_str(lines_str),
+        path_str: "".to_owned(),
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn char_insert_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    let text_buf = text_buffer_from_str("");
+    
+    let caret_pos = Position {
+        line: 0,
+        column: 0
+    };
+    
+    let selection_opt: Option<RawSelection> = None;
+    let mut app_model = mock_app_model(text_buf, caret_pos, selection_opt);
+    c.bench_function("single char insert, small buffer", |b| b.iter(|| handle_new_char(&mut app_model, &'a')));
+}
+
+pub fn file_open_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    ed_model::init_model(path)
+    //TODO continue here
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, char_insert_benchmark);
+criterion_main!(benches);
diff --git a/editor/src/lib.rs b/editor/src/lib.rs
index a04d5aa65d..cfdf2c6eb2 100644
--- a/editor/src/lib.rs
+++ b/editor/src/lib.rs
@@ -46,10 +46,12 @@ pub mod error;
 pub mod graphics;
 mod keyboard_input;
 pub mod lang;
-mod mvc;
+//mod mvc;
+pub mod mvc; // for benchmarking
 mod resources;
 mod selection;
-mod text_buffer;
+//mod text_buffer;
+pub mod text_buffer; // for benchmarking
 mod util;
 mod vec_result;