conky

Launch with default, built-in config

$ conky

$ conky [[-C|--print-config]] > ~/.conkyrc

$ conky [[-c|--config]] [path/to/config]

$ conky [[-d|--daemonize]]

$ conky [[-a|--alignment]] [top|bottom|middle]_[left|right|middle]

$ conky [[-p|--pause]] [5]

conky [options...]

--config=FILE, -c FILE
    Uses the specified configuration FILE instead of the default ~/.config/conky/conky.conf or ~/.conkyrc.

--daemonize, -d
    Daemonizes Conky, running it in the background as a detached process.

--display=DISPLAY, -D DISPLAY
    Specifies the X DISPLAY Conky should attach to.

--double-buffer, -b
    Enables double buffering to reduce or eliminate flickering during updates on some systems.

--force-rgba
    Forces RGBA (Red Green Blue Alpha) visual mode for transparency, even if not automatically detected.

--lua-load=FILE
    Loads an external Lua script FILE, allowing for advanced custom functions and data processing.

--quiet, -q
    Suppresses most output to standard output, making Conky run silently in the terminal.

--version, -v
    Prints Conky's version information and exits.

--help, -h
    Displays a brief help message detailing command-line options and exits.

conky is a free, lightweight system monitor for the X Window System. It displays a vast array of information directly on your desktop, including CPU usage, memory and swap usage, disk space, network activity, temperatures, processes, and much more. Unlike many system monitors, Conky is designed to be highly configurable via a simple text-based configuration file, allowing users to precisely control what information is displayed, its layout, colors, and update frequency.

Known for its low resource consumption, Conky runs efficiently in the background, providing real-time system statistics without significantly impacting performance. Its extensibility through built-in variables and Lua scripting enables users to create highly customized and visually appealing desktop widgets, making it a popular choice for Linux desktop enthusiasts seeking both functionality and aesthetic control.

Conky is primarily designed for the X Window System; while it can run under Wayland via Xwayland, some features or transparency settings might not behave identically.
Achieving perfect visual integration (e.g., transparent background without artifacts) can sometimes require careful fine-tuning of configuration parameters like own_window_type, own_window_transparent, and own_window_argb_visual specific to your desktop environment.
The configuration file's flexibility, especially with Lua scripting, can present a learning curve for new users.

Conky's entire behavior and display are controlled by a single configuration file, typically named conky.conf and located in ~/.config/conky/ or as ~/.conkyrc. This file is a plain-text document defining global settings (like update interval, window position, colors) and a 'text' section that uses Conky's special variables and objects to display dynamic system information. Modern Conky configurations often leverage Lua syntax within this file for enhanced control and flexibility.

Conky utilizes a rich set of built-in variables and objects to fetch and display system information. These are placeholders (e.g., ${cpu cpu0} for first CPU core usage, ${memperc} for memory percentage, ${downspeed eth0} for download speed on 'eth0') that expand to real-time data. Users embed these variables directly into the 'text' section of their configuration file, combining them with static text, colors, and formatting options to create their desired output.

Conky originated as a fork of torsmo, another popular lightweight system monitor, in 2004. The primary motivation for the fork was to continue development and add new features while maintaining torsmo's core principles of being small, fast, and highly configurable. Over the years, Conky has undergone significant development, adding extensive support for various system metrics, Lua scripting, improved rendering capabilities, and a vast ecosystem of user-contributed configurations, solidifying its position as a go-to tool for desktop system monitoring and customization.

htop(1), top(1), free(1), df(1), sensors(1), netstat(8), iostat(1)