What is btop
?
btop
(aka btop++) is a modern and visually appealing resource monitoring tool for Linux and other operating systems. It is part of the bpytop
family, created by the same developer, and is written in C++ for performance and efficiency. Like htop
, btop
provides detailed information about system resources, including CPU, memory, disk I/O, network, and processes. It features a colorful, interactive, and intuitive interface designed to make resource monitoring more user-friendly and visually appealing.
Here is what the interface looks like for btop:

Why is btop
considered better than htop
?
Here is what htop looks like:

While “better” is subjective and depends on the user’s preferences, there are several reasons why some users prefer btop
over htop
(see if you agree):
1. Enhanced Visual Appeal
btop
uses a modern, polished UI with better visual organization and smooth animations.- It provides graphs for CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, making it easier to interpret system performance at a glance.
2. Ease of Use
- Navigation and interaction in
btop
are more intuitive, thanks to well-placed menus and better mouse support. - Configurable settings are accessible directly from the UI without requiring configuration file edits.
3. More Detailed Metrics
btop
displays more detailed information about system resources, such as network traffic by interface, disk read/write speeds, and process-specific I/O statistics.- It includes a breakdown of CPU core usage, making it more comprehensive for multi-core systems.
4. Customizability
- Offers advanced customization through an interactive settings menu.
- The layout, colors, and other aspects of the interface can be tailored to user preferences.
5. Performance
- Written in C++,
btop
is designed to be faster and more efficient thanbpytop
, its Python-based predecessor, while maintaining a lightweight footprint. - Though both
btop
andhtop
are resource-light,btop
strikes a good balance between resource usage and functionality.
6. Process Management
- Provides all the process management features of
htop
(e.g., killing, renicing processes) but presents them in a more visually appealing and accessible way.
7. Improved Networking and Disk Monitoring
btop
offers better visualization and breakdown of network interfaces and disk I/O metrics, making it particularly useful for monitoring server performance.
When Might htop
Be Preferred?
While btop
excels in modernity and visuals, some users might still prefer htop
for the following reasons:
- Minimalism:
htop
has a simpler and more traditional interface that might appeal to those who prefer a no-frills experience. - Wide Availability:
htop
is often pre-installed or available in repositories for almost every Linux distribution. - Legacy Systems: On very old or resource-constrained systems,
htop
might be slightly lighter thanbtop
.
Conclusion
btop
is a powerful and visually rich alternative to htop
. It stands out with its modern UI, detailed metrics, and user-friendly interface, making it a great choice for users who want more from their system monitoring tool. However, htop
remains a reliable and straightforward option for those who prefer simplicity or need a tool with minimal dependencies.
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