mirror of
https://github.com/wezm/wezm.net.git
synced 2024-11-18 12:52:47 +00:00
261 lines
11 KiB
Markdown
261 lines
11 KiB
Markdown
+++
|
|
title = "Comparing Alternatives to top Written in Rust"
|
|
date = 2020-03-21T10:45:00+11:00
|
|
|
|
[extra]
|
|
updated = 2020-03-27T21:53:53+11:00
|
|
+++
|
|
|
|
Recently I aliased `top` to [ytop]. Then I became aware of [bottom], and
|
|
[zenith]. These are all terminal based system monitoring tools that you might
|
|
use instead of `top`. In this post I set out to compare them.
|
|
|
|
{{ figure(image="posts/2020/rust-top-alternatives/ytop-btm-zenith-screenshot.png", link="posts/2020/rust-top-alternatives/ytop-btm-zenith-screenshot.png", alt="Screenshot of ytop, bottom, and zenith while building some Rust code", caption="Left to right: ytop, bottom, and zenith.") }}
|
|
|
|
<!-- more -->
|
|
|
|
{% aside(title="Why Rust?", float="right") %}
|
|
The Rust programming language helps people write efficient, reliable software.
|
|
I like the language and the tools people are
|
|
building with it.
|
|
|
|
If you're interested in more Rust CLI tools check out my
|
|
post: [An Illustrated Guide to Some Useful Command Line
|
|
Tools](https://www.wezm.net/technical/2019/10/useful-command-line-tools/).
|
|
{% end %}
|
|
|
|
As the title states all three tools are written in Rust. They show similar
|
|
information and are all open source under the MIT license. I tested each one
|
|
on: Arch Linux, FreeBSD 12.1, macOS Mojave, and Windows 10. At the time of
|
|
testing, all three failed to build on FreeBSD and Windows. Figures below are
|
|
from the Arch Linux system, which is a [12 core AMD Ryzen desktop PC][ryzen-pc].
|
|
|
|
`ytop` and `bottom` use a layout that appears to be inspired by [gotop]. In
|
|
fact, `ytop` is written by the same person as `gotop`. `zenith` uses a layout
|
|
that's a bit more like traditional `top` with histograms above the process
|
|
list.
|
|
|
|
I typically use `top` to:
|
|
|
|
* Check on overall system load and free memory.
|
|
* Find specific processes that are using a lot of CPU or memory.
|
|
* Observe CPU and memory use over time.
|
|
* Occasionally kill processes.
|
|
|
|
I find the `zenith` layout more information dense, with less space taken up
|
|
with graphs. I also like the header row with info and help. The main feature
|
|
that it is missing compared to the others is temperatures — but that's in the
|
|
list of planned features. ~~There is one issue with `zenith`: it doesn't show my
|
|
ZFS pool. My system has an NVMe system disk and a ZFS pool of 3 SSDs that is
|
|
mounted as `/home`, which is absent in the disk summary. I've raised [an issue
|
|
on GitHub][zenith-zfs].~~
|
|
|
|
**Update 27 March 2020:** Zenith 0.7.7 now shows ZFS pools.
|
|
|
|
The individual lines for each CPU in `bottom` makes the display quite noisy. I
|
|
prefer the aggregated line that `ytop` shows. `ytop` has a handy `-m` option
|
|
to only show CPU, memory, and process list.
|
|
|
|
So, after reviewing them all I'm going to start using `zenith`. It might not
|
|
be quite as pretty in screenshots but it's the best for doing this things
|
|
I want to do with a `top` like tool.
|
|
|
|
Read on for further information about each tool, including an additional
|
|
honorable mention, [bb].
|
|
|
|
### bottom
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Repository][bottom]
|
|
|
|
**Version tested:** 0.2.2
|
|
**Runtime dependencies:** None
|
|
**Lines of code:** 4894
|
|
**Cargo dependencies:** 109
|
|
**Stripped binary size:** 3.4MiB
|
|
|
|
`bottom` has `vi` style key bindings for navigating the process list. The
|
|
selection is not stable across updates but there is a key binding, `f` to
|
|
freeze the display that allows you navigate the list without it changing. It
|
|
supports killing processes with `dd` but does not prompt for the signal to
|
|
send. It shows a confirmation before killing the process.
|
|
|
|
**Usage:**
|
|
|
|
bottom 0.2.2
|
|
Clement Tsang <cjhtsang@uwaterloo.ca>
|
|
A cross-platform graphical process/system monitor with a customizable interface and a multitude of features. Supports
|
|
Linux, macOS, and Windows.
|
|
|
|
USAGE:
|
|
btm [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
|
|
|
|
FLAGS:
|
|
-a, --avg_cpu Enables showing the average CPU usage.
|
|
-S, --case_sensitive Match case when searching by default.
|
|
-c, --celsius Sets the temperature type to Celsius. This is the default option.
|
|
--cpu_default Selects the CPU widget to be selected by default.
|
|
--disk_default Selects the disk widget to be selected by default.
|
|
-m, --dot_marker Use a dot marker instead of the default braille marker.
|
|
-f, --fahrenheit Sets the temperature type to Fahrenheit.
|
|
-g, --group Groups processes with the same name together on launch.
|
|
-k, --kelvin Sets the temperature type to Kelvin.
|
|
-l, --left_legend Puts external chart legends on the left side rather than the default right side.
|
|
--memory_default Selects the memory widget to be selected by default.
|
|
--network_default Selects the network widget to be selected by default.
|
|
--process_default Selects the process widget to be selected by default. This is the default if nothing
|
|
is set.
|
|
-R, --regex Use regex in searching by default.
|
|
-s, --show_disabled_data Show disabled data entries.
|
|
--temperature_default Selects the temp widget to be selected by default.
|
|
-u, --current_usage Within Linux, sets a process' CPU usage to be based on the total current CPU usage,
|
|
rather than assuming 100% usage.
|
|
-W, --whole_word Match whole word when searching by default.
|
|
-h, --help Prints help information
|
|
-V, --version Prints version information
|
|
|
|
OPTIONS:
|
|
-C, --config <CONFIG_LOCATION> Sets the location of the config file. Expects a config file in the TOML format.
|
|
-r, --rate <RATE_MILLIS> Sets a refresh rate in milliseconds; the minimum is 250ms, defaults to 1000ms.
|
|
Smaller values may take more resources.
|
|
|
|
### ytop
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Repository][ytop]
|
|
|
|
**Version tested:** 0.5.1
|
|
**Runtime dependencies:** None
|
|
**Lines of code:** 1903
|
|
**Cargo dependencies:** 89
|
|
**Stripped binary size:** 2.1MiB
|
|
|
|
`ytop` has `vi` style key bindings for navigating the process list. The
|
|
selection remains on the same process across updates. It supports killing
|
|
processes with `dd` but does not prompt for the signal to send. There is
|
|
no confirmation when typing `dd`.
|
|
|
|
**Usage:**
|
|
|
|
ytop 0.5.1
|
|
|
|
USAGE:
|
|
ytop [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
|
|
|
|
FLAGS:
|
|
-a, --average-cpu Show average CPU in the CPU widget
|
|
-b, --battery Show Battery widget (overridden by 'minimal' flag)
|
|
-f, --fahrenheit Show temperatures in fahrenheit
|
|
-h, --help Prints help information
|
|
-m, --minimal Only show the CPU, Mem, and Process widgets
|
|
-p, --per-cpu Show each CPU in the CPU widget
|
|
-s, --statusbar Show a statusbar with the time
|
|
-V, --version Prints version information
|
|
|
|
OPTIONS:
|
|
-c, --colorscheme <colorscheme> Set a colorscheme [default: default]
|
|
-i, --interface <interface> The name of the network interface to show in the Net widget. 'all' shows all
|
|
interfaces [default: all]
|
|
-I, --interval <interval> Interval in seconds between updates of the CPU and Mem widgets. Can specify
|
|
either a whole number or a fraction with a numerator of 1 [default: 1]
|
|
|
|
### zenith
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Repository][zenith]
|
|
|
|
**Version tested:** 0.7.5
|
|
**Runtime dependencies:** None
|
|
**Lines of code:** 2006
|
|
**Cargo dependencies:** 105
|
|
**Stripped binary size:** 2.6MiB
|
|
|
|
`zenith` has a small number of key bindings for changing the panes. You can
|
|
navigate the process list with the arrow keys. The selection is not stable
|
|
across updates but the default update frequency is 2 seconds. Pressing Enter on
|
|
process shows expanded information about it and allows you to send it various
|
|
signals:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
**Usage:**
|
|
|
|
zenith 0.7.5
|
|
Benjamin Vaisvil <ben@neuon.com>
|
|
Zenith, sort of like top but with histograms.
|
|
Up/down arrow keys move around the process table. Return (enter) will focus on a process.
|
|
Tab switches the active section. Active sections can be expanded (e) and minimized (m).
|
|
Using this you can create the layout you want.
|
|
|
|
USAGE:
|
|
zenith [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
|
|
|
|
FLAGS:
|
|
--disable-history Disables history when flag is present
|
|
-h, --help Prints help information
|
|
-V, --version Prints version information
|
|
|
|
OPTIONS:
|
|
-c, --cpu-height <INT> Height of CPU/Memory visualization. [default: 10]
|
|
--db <STRING> Database to use, if any. [default: /home/wmoore/.zenith]
|
|
-d, --disk-height <INT> Height of Disk visualization. [default: 10]
|
|
-n, --net-height <INT> Height of Network visualization. [default: 10]
|
|
-p, --process-height <INT> Min Height of Process Table. [default: 8]
|
|
-r, --refresh-rate <INT> Refresh rate in milliseconds. [default: 2000]
|
|
|
|
### bb
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[Repository][bb]
|
|
|
|
**Version tested:** git 35c3017
|
|
**Runtime dependencies:** None
|
|
**Lines of code:** 8450
|
|
**Cargo dependencies:** 27
|
|
**Stripped binary size:** 534KiB
|
|
|
|
`bb` is closer to regular `top` than the other tools. It shows a CPU histograms
|
|
and a process list. It has the best process view though, allowing sending all
|
|
named signals, filtering the list by name or pid, toggleable tree view and
|
|
following a process group. It also has the fewest crate dependencies and
|
|
smallest binary. The drawback is the author describes it as, "a "weekend"
|
|
side-project made for fun", and it hasn't seen any updates since Nov 2019.
|
|
|
|
**Usage:**
|
|
|
|
`bb` does not have any command line arguments.
|
|
|
|
### Test Notes
|
|
|
|
The dependency count was calculated using [cargo-tree] as follows:
|
|
|
|
cargo tree --no-dev-dependencies --no-indent -q | sed 's/ (\*)$//' | sort -u | wc -l
|
|
|
|
The lines of code values were calculated using [tokei]. The value of the Code
|
|
column in the Total row from the output of `tokei src` was used. E.g. 2372 in
|
|
the output below:
|
|
|
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Language Files Lines Code Comments Blanks
|
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
JSON 5 105 105 0 0
|
|
Markdown 2 231 231 0 0
|
|
Rust 18 2404 2001 87 316
|
|
TOML 2 39 35 2 2
|
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Total 27 2779 2372 89 318
|
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
[ytop]: https://github.com/cjbassi/ytop
|
|
[bottom]: https://github.com/ClementTsang/bottom
|
|
[zenith]: https://github.com/bvaisvil/zenith
|
|
[gotop]: https://github.com/cjbassi/gotop
|
|
[zenith-zfs]: https://github.com/bvaisvil/zenith/issues/9
|
|
[ryzen-pc]: https://bitcannon.net/page/ryzen9-pc/
|
|
[cargo-tree]: https://github.com/sfackler/cargo-tree
|
|
[tokei]: https://github.com/XAMPPRocky/tokei
|
|
[bb]: https://github.com/epilys/bb
|