When managing Linux systems, monitoring performance is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly. Tools like htop and glances make it easier to track CPU, memory, processes, and overall system health.

This guide covers:

  1. Why you need system monitoring tools.
  2. Installing htop and glances.
  3. How to use these tools effectively.

1. Why Use htop and glances?

While the default top command provides system stats, it can be limited in readability and features.

  • htop: A modern, interactive, and user-friendly alternative to top. It offers a real-time, color-coded view of system processes.
  • glances: A more comprehensive, cross-platform tool that displays CPU, memory, network, and disk usage in a single, unified interface.

Both tools make performance monitoring quick, visual, and efficient.

2. Installing htop and glances

Install htop

  • On Debian/Ubuntu:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install htop

  • On CentOS/RHEL:

    sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum install htop

  • On Arch Linux:

    sudo pacman -S htop

Run htop to start:

htop

Install glances

glances requires Python, so you can install it using pip or your package manager.

  • Using pip (cross-platform):

    pip install glances

  • On Debian/Ubuntu:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install glances

  • On CentOS/RHEL:

    sudo yum install glances

Run glances to start:

glances

3. How to Use htop

Launch htop

Run htop from the terminal:

htop

Key Features of htop:

  • Color-coded stats:

    • Green = User CPU usage
    • Red = System CPU usage
    • Blue = I/O wait

  • Interactive Controls:

    • Scroll with arrow keys.
    • Kill processes: Press F9.
    • Sort processes: Press F6 to choose a sorting method (e.g., CPU, memory).
    • Search for processes: Press / and type the process name.

Quick Shortcut Summary

Action Key
Scroll through list Arrow keys
Kill a process F9
Sort processes F6
Search processes /
Quit htop q

4. How to Use glances

Launch glances

Run glances from the terminal:

glances

Key Features of glances:

  • Unified Dashboard: Displays CPU, memory, network, disk usage, and more.
  • Auto-refresh: Real-time updates with minimal resource usage.
  • Interactive Controls:
    • Toggle views: Press 1, 2, or 3 for detailed CPU stats.
    • Quit: Press q.

Glances in Web Mode

Run glances as a web service to monitor remotely:

glances -w

Then access it in a browser:

http://your-server-ip:61208

5. Which Tool Should You Use?

Feature htop glances
Ease of Use Simple, process-focused Unified, detailed dashboard
Installation Lightweight, fast setup Requires Python, more tools
Remote Monitoring No Yes (glances -w)
System Stats CPU, memory, processes CPU, memory, disk, network, etc.
  • Use htop for quick, interactive process management.
  • Use glances for a broader system overview, especially for servers.

Conclusion

Both htop and glances are powerful tools for monitoring Linux systems. If you’re managing servers or troubleshooting performance, these tools are invaluable for gaining real-time insights.

  • Start with htop for simplicity.
  • Explore glances for deeper system monitoring.