htop is an interactive system monitoring tool used on Linux and Unix-based operating systems. It allows users to view, manage, and control running processes in real time.
It is considered an improved version of the classic top command, offering a more user-friendly interface and additional features.
Table of Contents
What htop is used for
htop is commonly used for:
- monitoring CPU and memory usage
- viewing active system processes
- managing running services
- identifying resource-heavy applications
Key features
Interactive interface
Unlike the standard top command, htop provides a visual and interactive display where users can scroll and navigate easily.
Process management
Users can:
- search for processes
- sort processes by CPU or memory usage
- change process priority (nice value)
- terminate processes directly
System resource monitoring
htop shows real-time information about:
- CPU usage per core
- memory and swap usage
- load average
- system uptime
Advantages over top
htop offers several improvements over top:
- easier navigation with keyboard and mouse
- color-coded interface for better readability
- tree view of processes
- faster and more intuitive interaction
How it is used
To start htop, simply run:
htop
This opens the interactive monitoring interface in the terminal.
Summary
htop is a powerful interactive process monitoring tool that helps users analyze system performance and manage running processes more efficiently than traditional tools like top.