Display top CPU processes Using htop
Posted by Admin on December 27th, 2006
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htop is an easier to use and friendlier version of top. While it hasn’t as much time behind it and therefore is less tested, it seems to work very well both locally and over SSH, and it’s well worth taking it for a spin. It’s just one of those small utilities that makes life a bit easier.
Install htop in debian
#apt-get install htop
This will complete the installation.Now if you want to check this application just type the following command from your terminal
#htop
You should see the following screen

If you want to know about the more available option check htop man page
Comparison between htop and top
In ‘htop’ you can scroll the list vertically and horizontally to see all processes and complete command lines.
In ‘top’ you are subject to a delay for each unassigned key you press (especially annoying when multi-key escape sequences are triggered by accident).
‘htop’ starts faster (’top’ seems to collect data for a while before displaying anything).
In ‘htop’ you don’t need to type the process number to kill a process, in ‘top’ you do.
In ‘htop’ you don’t need to type the process number or the priority value to renice a process, in ‘top’ you do.
‘htop’ supports mouse operation, ‘top’ doesn’t
‘top’ is older, hence, more used and tested.


December 27th, 2006 at 7:19 am
Thank you for a nice article, htop is realy very nice and more user friendly.
Now it will be my process viewer of choise (after ps, ofcource:))
September 19th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
It is so useful tool, I was using ps aux previously, that was so hard!
February 17th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Nice tip. Thank you.