Top 5 Linux Tools for System Resource Monitoring

Monitoring system resources is crucial for maintaining the performance, security, and reliability of your Linux systems. In this tutorial, we will explore five essential Linux tools that help you keep an eye on CPU, memory, disk usage, and more.

Prerequisites

• A Linux-based operating system installed (Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, etc.).
• Basic command line usage knowledge.
• Administrative privileges to install packages if needed.

1. top

One of the most widely used command-line tools, top provides a real-time view of system processes, CPU, memory usage, and system load. You can see which processes are consuming the most resources and make informed decisions on managing them.

How to Use

$ top

Press q to exit the top interface. You can sort the processes by different fields by pressing the column header keys, such as Shift + P for sorting by CPU usage.

2. htop

htop is a more user-friendly alternative to top, featuring a colorful interface and the ability to manage processes directly. You can easily kill or renice processes without needing to type their process IDs.

Installation

$ sudo apt install htop  # For Debian/Ubuntu
$ sudo yum install htop      # For CentOS/RHEL

How to Use

$ htop

Use the arrow keys to navigate, and press F9 to kill a process while it is highlighted.

3. vmstat

vmstat provides essential information about processes, memory, paging, block IO, traps, and CPU activity. It’s great for monitoring resource usage over time, especially when scripting for log files.

How to Use

$ vmstat 1

The above command will report every second by default. Press Ctrl+C to stop.

4. iostat

iostat is used for monitoring system input/output device loading by observing the time devices spend in the I/O operation. It helps you understand disk performance and identify bottlenecks.

Installation

$ sudo apt install sysstat  # It includes iostat

How to Use

$ iostat -xz 1

Here, -x provides extended statistics and -z omits devices with no activity. The command outputs detailed statistics with intervals of one second.

5. nmon

nmon (Nigel’s Monitor) is a performance monitoring tool that captures and displays CPU, memory, disk I/O, network, and more. It’s especially useful for analyzing workloads and benchmarking in real-time.

Installation

$ sudo apt install nmon  # For Ubuntu/Debian

How to Use

$ nmon

Press c for CPU, m for memory, and navigate using different keys to monitor various resources.

Troubleshooting

• Tools not found: Ensure you have the required packages installed.
• Access issues: Run commands with sudo if permissions are restricted.

Summary Checklist

• Install and configure monitoring tools as needed.
• Regularly check system performance and resource usage.
• Make necessary adjustments based on the monitoring outcomes.

For more insights on Linux tools, consider checking out our post on Top 5 Linux Tools for Software Development.