btop
Monitor system resource usage
TLDR
Start btop
Start btop with the specified settings preset
Start btop in TTY mode using 16 colors and TTY-friendly graph symbols
Start btop in 256-color mode instead of 24-bit color mode
Set the update rate to 500 milliseconds
Exit btop
Display help
SYNOPSIS
btop [options]
PARAMETERS
-v, --version
Show version info and quit.
-h, --help
Show help message and quit.
-t, --theme
Use theme with given name.
-p, --pid
Show specific pid.
-c, --config
Use a specific configuration file. Overrides default location.
DESCRIPTION
btop is a resource monitor displaying usage and statistics for processor, memory, disks, network and processes. It's a modern, visually appealing, and user-friendly alternative to classic tools like top and htop.
btop aims to be easy to use, with a game inspired menu system. It uses single character key presses for most operations. It is designed to be highly configurable, allowing users to tailor the display to their specific needs. It offers customization in terms of displayed metrics, color schemes, refresh intervals, and even the way processes are sorted.
btop is written in C++ and is designed to be cross-platform compatible. Its features include process filtering, sending signals to processes, and detailed network information. Its intuitive interface makes it a great tool for both system administrators and general users who want to keep track of their system's performance.
CONFIGURATION
btop stores its configuration in a file typically located in ~/.config/btop/btop.conf. This file can be modified to customize various aspects of the program, such as color themes, update intervals, and displayed metrics. The command line flag '-c, --config' allows the user to specify an alternate configuration file.
KEYBINDINGS
btop employs single-key shortcuts for navigation and control. Pressing '?' will display the keybindings to the user.
HISTORY
btop is a continuation of the bashtop and bpytop projects. It evolved from a bash script (bashtop) into a python script (bpytop), finally being rewritten in C++ for improved performance and cross-platform capabilities. The goal was to create a visually appealing and efficient system monitor that is easy to use and configure. Development continues to focus on adding new features, improving performance, and ensuring compatibility across different operating systems.