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A customizable cross-platform graphical process and system monitor for the terminal.

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Tracked since2026
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The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Provides a comprehensive graphical overview of system resources in the terminal.

Biggest con

May require some initial setup for configuration and customization.

TL;DR - Bottom

  • Cross-platform graphical system and process monitor for the terminal.
  • Provides real-time visualization of CPU, RAM, network, disk, and processes.
  • Highly customizable with themes, widget layouts, and process management features.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups

What is Bottom?

Editorial review
Bottom is a highly customizable, cross-platform graphical process and system monitor designed for the terminal. Inspired by tools like gtop, gotop, and htop, it provides real-time visualization and management capabilities for system resources. Users can monitor CPU, RAM, swap, network I/O, disk usage, temperature sensors, and battery usage through intuitive graphical widgets. This tool is ideal for developers, system administrators, and anyone who needs a detailed, real-time overview of their system's performance directly within their terminal environment. Its extensive customization options, including themes, widget behavior, and layout, allow users to tailor the monitoring experience to their specific needs and preferences. Bottom also includes a process widget for displaying, sorting, searching, and sending kill signals to processes, making it a comprehensive solution for system oversight and basic process management across Linux, macOS, and Windows. Bottom aims to provide a robust and visually appealing alternative to traditional command-line monitoring tools, offering both graphical insights and granular control over system processes. Its cross-platform compatibility ensures a consistent experience for users working across different operating systems.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Provides a comprehensive graphical overview of system resources in the terminal.
  • Highly customizable to suit individual preferences and workflows.
  • Supports major operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows).
  • Includes process management capabilities like killing processes and tree view.
  • Open-source and actively maintained.

Cons

  • May require some initial setup for configuration and customization.
  • Unofficial support for some platforms may lead to limited features or bugs.
  • Terminal-based interface might not be preferred by all users compared to GUI tools.

Key Features

Graphical visualization widgets for CPU, RAM, swap, and network I/O usage over timeWidgets for displaying disk capacity/usage, temperature sensors, and battery usageProcess widget with display, sorting, searching, kill signals, and tree modeCross-platform support for Linux, macOS, and WindowsCustomizable behavior via command-line options or config file (themes, widget behavior, layout, filtering)Htop-inspired basic modeExpansion mode to focus on a single widget

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Jul 8, 2026

Open Source

Free

  • Full source code access
  • MIT License license
  • Community support
  • Self-hosted

Reviews

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Bottom FAQ

How does Bottom help developers monitor system performance?

Bottom provides developers with a real-time, graphical overview of system resources directly within the terminal, including CPU, RAM, network I/O, and disk usage. This allows for immediate insight into how applications are utilizing system resources, aiding in performance debugging and optimization.

How does Bottom compare to htop for system monitoring?

Bottom offers a more graphical and customizable interface for system monitoring compared to htop, providing visual widgets for various system resources. While both tools offer process management capabilities, Bottom emphasizes extensive customization options for themes, widget behavior, and layout across Linux, macOS, and Windows.

What kind of user benefits most from Bottom?

Developers, system administrators, and anyone needing a detailed, real-time overview of system performance within their terminal environment benefit most from Bottom. Its extensive customization and cross-platform compatibility make it suitable for users who require precise control and visual insights into their system's operations.

Does Bottom include a free tier?

Bottom is entirely free to use, with no paid plans or subscriptions required. It is an open-source tool, allowing users full access to its features for system monitoring and process management without cost.

What are the main trade-offs when choosing Bottom for system monitoring?

A main trade-off for Bottom is that it may require some initial setup for configuration and customization to tailor it to specific user preferences. Additionally, its terminal-based interface might not be preferred by all users who are accustomed to graphical user interface (GUI) tools.

Can Bottom manage system processes directly from the terminal?

Yes, Bottom includes a process widget that allows users to display, sort, search, and send kill signals to processes. This provides basic process management capabilities directly within the terminal, complementing its system monitoring features.

Which operating systems does Bottom support for system monitoring?

Bottom supports major operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, providing a consistent monitoring experience across different environments. Its cross-platform compatibility ensures users can maintain their preferred setup regardless of their operating system.

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