htop vs gotop
When it comes to monitoring your Linux system's performance from the terminal, both htop and gotop offer powerful capabilities that go well beyond the classic top command. But which one should you choose? This comparison will help you decide based on your specific needs and preferences.
Conclusion
Both tools excel in different areas. htop remains the go-to choice for system administrators who need detailed process management in a lightweight, reliable package that works everywhere. gotop appeals to users who want a more modern, visually informative monitoring experience and don't mind trading some advanced functionality for better aesthetics.
For the best of both worlds, consider installing both tools and using them for different scenarios—htop for serious system management tasks and troubleshooting, and gotop for ongoing monitoring and when you want to keep an eye on system performance trends over time.
Visual Design
htop
- Interface: Text-based, color-coded interface with bars and numbers
- Layout: Traditional, structured format with process list taking most of the screen
- Aesthetics: Functional with basic visual indicators
- CPU Display: Horizontal bars for each CPU core
- Terminal Requirements: Works in virtually any terminal, including SSH sessions with limited capabilities
gotop
- Interface: Graphical with charts, graphs, and animations
- Layout: Modern, widget-based design with resizable components
- Aesthetics: Polished look with smooth animations and gradients
- CPU Display: Line graphs showing usage over time
- Terminal Requirements: Needs a modern terminal with good Unicode support and adequate size
Feature Comparison
| Feature | htop | gotop |
|---|---|---|
| Process management | Excellent | Good |
| Process filtering | Yes | Limited |
| Process search | Yes | Yes |
| Sort capability | Very flexible | Basic |
| Signal sending to processes | Comprehensive | Basic |
| CPU monitoring | Per-core bars | Time-series graphs |
| Memory visualization | Text and bar | Graph with time series |
| Disk I/O monitoring | Limited | Comprehensive graphs |
| Network monitoring | No | Yes, with bandwidth graphs |
| Battery status | No | Yes |
| Color themes | Several | Multiple, customizable |
| Configuration options | Extensive | Moderate |
| Mouse support | Yes | Yes |
| Resource usage | Low | Moderate |
Performance Impact
- htop: Lightweight, consumes minimal resources
- gotop: Slightly higher resource usage due to graphical elements
Use Case Recommendations
Choose htop when:
- You need detailed process management capabilities
- You're working in a resource-constrained environment
- You frequently connect via SSH to remote servers
- You require advanced process filtering and sorting
- You prefer function over form
- You need to send various signals to processes
- You want compatibility with older systems
Choose gotop when:
- You want a visually appealing system monitoring experience
- You need at-a-glance system status through graphs
- You want to monitor network traffic patterns
- You prefer modern aesthetics and design
- You value historical data shown in time-series graphs
- You're monitoring a system locally rather than remotely
- You want to impress others with your terminal setup
Installation Availability
- htop: Available in most standard repositories
- gotop: Often requires additional installation steps or package managers
Community and Development
- htop: Mature project with stable development and wide adoption
- gotop: Newer project with active development and growing community
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gotop