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SPECIFICTION
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htop

htop.dev

Free plan macOSLinux
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Spec score 7.6 #16 of 34 in System Information Software

What it is

htop is a free, text-mode interactive process viewer for Linux and macOS. It runs in console or X terminals and requires ncurses, offering a command-line interface for watching and managing running processes. Current releases also list FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFly BSD, and Solaris as supported systems. The project, founded in 2004, is distributed as source code on GitHub and as pre-compiled packages from operating-system distributors, with installation examples for Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, and Arch Linux; Homebrew includes it for macOS. Its display can show Unicode Braille graphs and a Unicode tree view, including visual support for large processor counts. Users can set I/O scheduling priority and CPU affinity, choose dark or light terminal themes, and customize header meters. The memory percentage covers process-used memory; htop does not provide a per-process SWAP column.

Spec sheet

Purpose
htop is a cross-platform interactive process viewer that runs in text mode in console or X terminals and requires ncurses.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Founded
2004Read 28 Sep 2026 · htop.dev
Customization
The screenshots page says color themes are available for dark and light terminals and header meters are fully customizable.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Distribution
htop is available freely as source code on GitHub and as pre-compiled binaries provided by distributions.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Installation
The download page gives package installation examples for Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, and Arch Linux, and says htop is included in Homebrew for macOS.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Large systems
The screenshots page says htop has visual support for large processor counts and shows a 64-core machine.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Memory reporting
The FAQ explains that the memory meter’s percentage represents memory used by processes, while additional available memory is used by the Linux kernel for buffers and disk cache.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Process controls
The screenshots page identifies configuring I/O scheduling priority and CPU affinity as available features.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Release updates
Users can subscribe to the htop mailing list to receive new-release information.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Support and contributions
The home page links to the project bug tracker and says Hack Club, a US IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has hosted htop as its fiscal sponsor since March 2024.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Supported systems
The site lists Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFly BSD, macOS, and Solaris as supported by current releases.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Swap limitation
The FAQ says htop does not provide a per-process SWAP column because it does not know a reliable way to determine exact swap use, including for shared pages.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev
Terminal display
The screenshots page describes Unicode Braille-character graphs and a Unicode tree view.Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev

Plans and prices

Free Free Freely available; source code and distribution binaries Read 8 Oct 2026 · htop.dev

Every htop plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan with source and binaries
  • Supports Linux, macOS, and BSD systems
  • Unicode graphs and tree display
  • CPU affinity and I/O priority controls
  • Custom themes and header meters

Limits

  • Requires ncurses and a terminal
  • No per-process SWAP column
  • No free trial

Who it suits

htop suits users who need terminal-based process monitoring on Linux or macOS and related Unix systems. It is useful for people wanting configurable displays and process controls without a graphical interface.

Verdict

htop offers a focused terminal interface for viewing processes across several Unix-like systems. Its customization and process controls are clearly specified, while swap reporting has a stated limitation.

Where Specifiction places it

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