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htop Command on ChromeOS Linux Environment

The htop command is an interactive process viewer and system monitor that provides a more user-friendly alternative to top. It allows you to view and manage processes, monitor system performance, and interact with tasks directly from the terminal. In the ChromeOS Linux (Crostini) environment, htop is an essential tool for diagnosing and managing system performance.

Installing htop

On many ChromeOS Linux setups, htop may not be installed by default. Install it using the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install htop

Verify the installation:

htop --version

Launching htop

To start htop, simply run:

htop

Interface Overview

When htop is launched, the interface consists of three main sections:

  1. Header: Displays system information such as CPU usage, memory usage, swap usage, and load averages.
  2. Process List: Shows a dynamic list of running processes with columns like PID, user, CPU%, MEM%, and command.
  3. Footer: Contains function key shortcuts for interacting with processes and customizing the display.

Keyboard Controls

  • Arrow Keys: Navigate through the process list.
  • Page Up/Down: Scroll through the process list faster.
  • F1: Help menu.
  • F2: Setup menu for customizing the interface.
  • F3: Search for a specific process.
  • F4: Filter processes by a keyword.
  • F5: Toggle tree view to show parent/child process hierarchy.
  • F6: Sort processes by a specific column.
  • F7/F8: Adjust the priority (nice value) of a process.
  • F9: Kill a selected process.
  • F10: Quit htop.

Mouse Support

htop supports mouse interactions. You can click to select processes, change tabs, or interact with the interface.

Common Usage

Monitor System Resources

View real-time CPU, memory, and swap usage at the top of the interface. Colored bars indicate utilization levels for each resource.

Search for a Process

Press F3 to search for a process by name. Use the arrow keys to navigate through search results.

Filter Processes

Press F4 to filter processes by a keyword. This is useful for narrowing down results when many processes are running.

Sort Processes

Press F6 to sort processes by columns such as CPU%, MEM%, or time. A small arrow indicates the current sort column and direction.

Tree View

Press F5 to toggle tree view, which shows the hierarchical relationship between parent and child processes.

Kill a Process

  1. Use the arrow keys to highlight a process.
  2. Press F9 to open the kill menu.
  3. Select a signal to send (e.g., SIGTERM or SIGKILL) and press Enter.

Customization

Setup Menu (F2)

Access the setup menu to customize the htop interface:

  • Meters: Add or remove metrics in the header.
  • Columns: Choose which columns to display in the process list.
  • Colors: Adjust the color scheme.
  • Display Options: Configure scrolling, update frequency, and more.

Persistent Configuration

Save your configuration by enabling the "Save settings" option in the setup menu. This ensures that your customizations persist across sessions.

Troubleshooting

Command Not Found

If htop is not installed, install it with:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install htop

Permission Denied

Run htop with sudo to view processes owned by other users:

sudo htop

Best Practices

  1. Use Filters and Search: Quickly locate specific processes using F3 and F4.
  2. Monitor Resource Usage: Keep an eye on CPU, memory, and swap usage to identify bottlenecks.
  3. Customize for Efficiency: Tailor the interface to display only the metrics and processes you need.
  4. Combine with Other Tools: Use htop alongside commands like ps and kill for advanced process management.

htop is a feature-rich tool for real-time system monitoring and process management in the ChromeOS Linux environment. Its intuitive interface and customization options make it a valuable resource for both beginners and advanced users.