laptop-detect
Detect if running on a laptop
TLDR
Return an exit status of 0 if the current device is likely a laptop, else returns 1
Print the type of device that the current system is detected as
Display version
SYNOPSIS
laptop-detect
DESCRIPTION
The laptop-detect command is a simple utility designed to determine whether the current system is a laptop computer. It achieves this by examining various system files and hardware properties, looking for characteristics commonly associated with laptops, such as battery presence, AC adapter status, and the presence of specific hardware modules. The primary goal is to provide a straightforward and reliable method for shell scripts or other applications to adapt their behavior based on the system's form factor. For example, a script could use laptop-detect to disable power-hungry features on a laptop to conserve battery life or enable them on a desktop where power consumption is less of a concern.
The output of laptop-detect is a simple return code. If the system is deemed to be a laptop, the command exits with a return code of 0; otherwise, it exits with a non-zero return code. This allows for easy integration into conditional statements within shell scripts.
CAVEATS
The reliability of laptop-detect depends on the accuracy of the system files and hardware information it analyzes. It may not be foolproof and could potentially misidentify certain devices, especially in edge cases or with unusual hardware configurations. Newer laptops may not be detected if their hardware signatures are not yet included in the checks performed by laptop-detect.
EXIT STATUS
The laptop-detect command exits with a status of 0 if it determines that the system is a laptop and non-zero if it is not.
USAGE EXAMPLE
A common use case is within a shell script:if laptop-detect; then
echo "Running on a laptop."
else
echo "Not running on a laptop."
fi
HISTORY
The laptop-detect command emerged as a response to the need for a consistent and platform-independent way to detect laptop systems within Linux environments. It predates more sophisticated power management frameworks like systemd, where power state detection is integrated. Initially, it served as a vital tool for managing power profiles and optimizing performance on portable computers, when power management was often handled via custom scripts. Over time, its importance has diminished somewhat due to advancements in system-level power management tools, but it remains useful in specific contexts, especially where finer-grained control or backward compatibility with older systems is needed.
