Conky is an open source system monitor that can display just about anything, either on your root desktop or in its own window. Conky has many built-in objects, as well as the ability to execute external programs or scripts (either external or through built-in lua support).
Conky is originally based on torsmo. Since its inception, Conky has changed significantly from its predecessor, while maintaining simplicity and configurability.
Conky can display information either as text, or using simple progress bars and graph widgets, with different fonts and colours. Conky can also be used to gather and display almost any type of information on the user’s desktop (as well as in the command line, if one chooses).
Key Features
- Highly configurable.
- Has more than 300 built in objects:
- A wealth of OS stats (uname, uptime, CPU usage, mem usage, disk usage, “top” like process stats, and network monitoring).
- Built in IMAP and POP3 support.
- Built in support for many music players (MPD, XMMS2, BMPx, Audacious).
- Can be extended using built in Lua support, or any of your own scripts and programs.
- Built in Imlib2 and Cairo bindings for arbitrary drawing with Lua, which allows you to draw directly to Conky’s window using Cairo and/or Imlib2.
- Can draw to the root window or runs in a windowed mode.
- Supports ARGB transparency, aka “Real” transparency.
- Command line “pause” flag.
Website: github.com/brndnmtthws/conky
Support: Documentation
Developer: Conky Developers
License: GNU GPL, BSD License
Conky is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Process Viewers | |
|---|---|
| btop++ | Continuation of bashtop and BpyTOP rewritten in C++ |
| htop | Provides a full list of processes running |
| Glances | System monitoring tool written in Python |
| nmon | Performance monitoring tool |
| bottom | GUI process/system monitor seeking inspiration from gtop, gotop and htop |
| gtop | System monitoring dashboard for the terminal |
| Conky | Advanced, highly configurable system monitor for X based on torsmo |
| Zenith | Turbo-charged top utility |
| BpyTOP | Presents the system resources in a logical and well-thought out way |
| atop | Monitor for system resources and process activity |
| ttop | System monitoring tool with historical snapshots and alerts |
| below | Time traveling resource monitor |
| sysstat | System performance tools |
| gotop | Seeks inspiration from gtop and vtop |
| sot | System observation tool |
| vtop | System monitoring tool in the spirit of top |
| dgop | System monitoring tool with CLI and REST API |
| evisum | Enlightenment system monitor |
| collectl | Collects data that describes the current system status |
| socktop | Remote system monitor with a rich TUI |
| Saidar | Displays live system statistics |
| Xtop | TUI system monito |
| tiptop | Graphical activity monitor for the command line |
| TTV | Term-task-viewer |
| Lyvoxa Stellar | Built from the ground up in Rust |
| bb | Simple process viewer |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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