If you’re a Linux user, chances are you’ve used top
to check your system’s performance.
It’s been the go-to tool for decades—simple, reliable, and always there when you need it. But let’s face it: top
feels like a flip phone in the age of smartphones.
It works, but there’s something better out there.
If you’re nodding in agreement, you’re in the right place.
Get Your Free Linux training!
Join our free Linux training and discover the power of open-source technology. Enhance your skills and boost your career! Learn Linux for Free!In this article, we’ll explore why top
might be limiting you, and introduce you to modern, powerful alternatives that will transform how you monitor your Linux system.
Whether you’re a sysadmin, developer, or a curious Linux enthusiast, these tools will save you time, effort, and possibly a few headaches.
Why top
Isn’t Always Enough
Don’t get me wrong—top
is a classic for a reason. It provides a quick overview of CPU usage, memory consumption, and running processes. However, it’s limited in several areas:
- Basic Interface: The text-based interface isn’t very user-friendly. Scrolling through processes can feel cumbersome.
- Limited Metrics: If you want to monitor disk I/O, network activity, or GPU usage,
top
won’t help. - No Historical Data:
top
only shows real-time stats. If you need trend analysis over time, it falls short. - Customization Woes: Customizing
top
is possible but can be frustrating and unintuitive.
If you’ve encountered these issues, it’s time for an upgrade. Let’s dive into some better alternatives.
1. htop
: top
on Steroids
Not ready to abandon top
just yet? Meet htop
. It’s like top
, but with a modern twist.
- Colorful, Interactive Interface: Enjoy a clean, color-coded layout for processes. Navigate easily with both vertical and horizontal scrolling.
- Mouse Support: Sort processes by CPU, memory, or other metrics with a simple click.
- Tree View: See the parent-child relationships between processes for better visibility.
- Quick Actions: Kill processes or change priorities with a single keystroke.
Installation:
sudo apt install htop # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install htop # CentOS/RHEL
sudo dnf install htop # Fedora
2. sar
: The System Activity Reporter
If you need historical performance data and deep system insights, sar
is your tool. Part of the sysstat
package, sar
collects and reports system activity, making it perfect for troubleshooting and performance tuning.
- Comprehensive Metrics: Monitor CPU, memory, disk I/O, network, and more.
- Historical Data: Analyze performance trends over hours, days, or even months.
- Customizable Reports: Generate reports based on specific metrics or time ranges.
- Low Overhead: Runs quietly in the background with minimal resource usage.
Installation:
sudo apt install sysstat # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install sysstat # CentOS/RHEL
sudo dnf install sysstat # Fedora
Example Usage:
- CPU Usage for today:
sar -u
- Disk I/O statistics:
sar -d
- Network activity:
sar -n DEV
3. iotop
: Monitor Disk I/O Like a Pro
While top
covers CPU and memory, it doesn’t help with disk I/O. If you’re dealing with disk-heavy workloads, iotop
is a must-have tool. It lets you see which processes are consuming the most disk I/O.
- Real-Time I/O Monitoring: View read/write operations for each process.
- Sort by I/O Activity: Quickly identify which processes are using the most disk resources.
- User-Friendly Interface: Similar to
top
, but focused on disk activity.
Installation:
sudo apt install iotop # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install iotop # CentOS/RHEL
sudo dnf install iotop # Fedora
Example Usage:
- Run
iotop
with root privileges:sudo iotop
- Only show processes with significant disk I/O:
sudo iotop -b -o
- Sort by I/O usage:
sudo iotop -o -P
4. nethogs
: Track Network Usage by Process
Ever wondered which process is hogging your network bandwidth? nethogs
breaks down network usage by process, making it easy to spot the bandwidth hogs.
- Per-Process Network Stats: See exactly which processes are using your network.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Get instant updates on network activity.
- Simple Interface: Just run the tool and see the data—no complicated setup required.
Installation:
sudo apt install nethogs # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install nethogs # CentOS/RHEL
sudo dnf install nethogs # Fedora
Example Usage:
- Monitor network usage by process:
sudo nethogs
- Monitor a specific network interface (e.g.,
eth0
):sudo nethogs eth0
- Run in batch mode and log the output:
sudo nethogs -t > nethogs_log.txt
5. Grafana
: The Ultimate Visualization Powerhouse
If you need enterprise-level monitoring and visualization, look no further than Grafana. It’s not just a system monitor—it’s a full platform for creating stunning dashboards and analyzing performance data.
- Real-Time Dashboards: Build interactive dashboards with graphs, gauges, and heatmaps.
- Multiple Data Sources: Integrate with Prometheus, InfluxDB, Elasticsearch, and more.
- Custom Alerts: Set up notifications for performance issues.
- Historical Data: Store and analyze trends over extended periods.
- Community Plugins: Extend Grafana with plugins for Docker, Kubernetes, and more.
Installation:
- For Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install -y apt-transport-https sudo apt-get install -y software-properties-common wget wget -q -O - https://packages.grafana.com/gpg.key | sudo apt-key add - echo "deb https://packages.grafana.com/oss/deb stable main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grafana.list sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install grafana
- For CentOS/RHEL:
sudo yum install grafana
6. NetData
: Real-Time Performance at Scale
Managing multiple systems or looking for enterprise-level monitoring? NetData is a game-changer. It provides distributed, real-time monitoring that scales effortlessly.
- Real-Time Dashboards: View interactive dashboards for every imaginable metric.
- Automatic Detection: NetData auto-detects and monitors services, containers, and hardware.
- Instant Alerts: Get notified as soon as performance issues arise.
- Historical Data: Store and analyze performance data over time.
Installation:
bash <(curl -Ss https://my-netdata.io/kickstart.sh)
Why You Should Upgrade Today
Still using top
? It might feel comfortable, but it’s like navigating without GPS in 2025—you’ll get there eventually, but why waste time? Modern tools like htop
, sar
, iotop
, nethogs
, Grafana, and NetData offer:
- Better Insights: View more metrics in less time.
- Improved Usability: Intuitive interfaces and powerful features.
- Scalability: Monitor everything from a single machine to an entire fleet.
Your Turn: Try Something New!
So, what are you waiting for? Choose one of these tools, install it, and experience the difference. Which tool are you most excited to try? Drop a comment below—or let me know if there’s a Linux performance monitoring tool you think I missed!