Maybe almost all of Linux users have used top to check how your system is doing, the running processes and use of CPU or the use of Memory.

But top lacks in some functionality that could the useful, for example, when it runs out of space in our screens it just do not show the rest of the processes.

Here is where htop appears.

Let's first see how to install it.

CentOS

We first need to install Dag repository, download it from here get the one that fits your CentOS version

Now run:

rpm -Uvh rpmforge-release-[your_release].rpm

to have it installed, and then:

yum install htop

Fedora

For Fedora you should also install Dag Wieers Repository

and then run

yum install htop

Debian and Ubuntu

For these two just run:

apt-get install htop

Once you have it installed, you can invoke it just typing

htop

It will display a screen like this:

One of its major features is that you can scroll down in the tasks window, and take a look to all of them not just the ones that fits in your screen.

You can also change the way it displays the info in your screen by pressing, "F2" or "s" you enter the Setup menu, and using the arrow keys and the tab key you will be able to change the way the info is presented in your screen.

You can also sort the tasks by:

CPU% -> pressing P
MEM% -> pressing M
TIME -> pressing T

Press F4 or I to invert the sort order, and with F6 or ">" select the sort column form a menu, where all the columns available appear.

You can also kill a process directly from this screen pressing "F9".

The other good thing is that like top you can use htop over a ssh connection, making it a great tool for administer remote servers.

Related Links:
Htop
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