bpytop

Start bpytop

$ bpytop

$ bpytop -m

$ <m>

$ <f>

$ <M>

$ bpytop -v

bpytop [OPTIONS]

--help
    Displays the help message and exits.

--version
    Shows the program's version number and exits.

--debug
    Starts bpytop in debug mode for troubleshooting.

--full
    Starts with full CPU graphs, showing more detailed core usage.

--tty_mode
    Forces TTY mode, disabling mouse support and reducing some graphical features for compatibility.

--low_cpu
    Forces low CPU mode, similar to TTY mode but also reduces the update frequency of CPU graphs to save resources.

--config FILE
    Specifies a custom configuration file path to use instead of the default.

--theme THEME_NAME
    Sets a custom theme by name. Themes must be present in the configured themes directory.

--preset PRESET_NAME
    Applies a predefined layout or configuration preset.

bpytop is a comprehensive and interactive resource monitor for Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD. It's a Python port of the popular bashtop and btop projects, designed to provide a rich graphical interface for monitoring system resources.

It displays real-time statistics for the processor, memory, disk I/O, network usage, and active processes. Key features include full mouse support, a customizable UI with themes, detailed process information including tree view and process filtering, and the ability to send signals to processes. bpytop aims for a visually appealing and intuitive user experience, making system monitoring both efficient and enjoyable. Its game-inspired menu system allows for easy navigation and configuration of various settings, offering a modern alternative to traditional tools like top or htop.

bpytop requires a Python 3 installation to run. While generally optimized, its rich graphical interface and continuous data updates can consume more CPU and memory resources compared to simpler terminal monitors like top or htop on systems with very limited resources. Full functionality, such as true color and mouse support, depends on the capabilities of the terminal emulator being used.

Beyond mere display, bpytop offers extensive interactive capabilities. Users can navigate through processes, sort by different metrics, filter processes by name, and send various signals (e.g., SIGTERM, SIGKILL) directly from the interface. It also supports full mouse interaction for clicking buttons, selecting options, and scrolling, greatly enhancing usability in a terminal environment.

A strong point of bpytop is its high degree of customization. Users can tailor the interface with different color themes, adjust refresh rates, change graph scales, and configure which information panels are displayed. Settings are saved in a configuration file, allowing for persistent personalization across sessions.

bpytop is part of a lineage of modern terminal resource monitors. It originated from bashtop, a monitor written in Bash. Subsequently, btop emerged as a C++ rewrite of bashtop, focusing on performance. bpytop then followed as a Python port of bashtop, aiming for greater portability and easier maintenance while retaining the visually rich and interactive user interface that made its predecessors popular. This evolution reflects an ongoing effort to combine powerful system monitoring with an engaging and user-friendly terminal experience.

top(1), htop(1), glances(1), nmon(1)