htop as a Linux alternative to Process Explorer
Updated
Our verdict
htop is a solid replacement for many Process Explorer tasks, especially for users who need real‑time monitoring, process tree views, and quick kill/renice actions. It works well for system administrators, developers, and power users on Linux who are comfortable with a terminal interface. However, it lacks some of the deeper inspection features of Process Explorer, such as per‑handle listing or DLL analysis, so users who rely on those details will need additional tools.
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 3.5.3
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Real‑time CPU and memory display
- Process tree hierarchy
- Search and filter capability
- Sortable columns
- Ability to kill/renice processes
What is different
- No per‑handle (file/socket) listing
- No DLL/Shared library view
- No detailed network connection info
- No built‑in process property inspection like handles or DLLs
- Requires terminal; no GUI
- No direct import of Process Explorer files
Opening your Process Explorer files
htop cannot open or export Process Explorer (.txt or .xml) files. To transfer data, export Process Explorer output to plain text and use tools like awk or grep to parse the text if needed, but htop itself does not support any import/export of Process Explorer data.
Switching from Process Explorer to htop, step by step
- Install htop from your distro’s package manager (e.g., sudo apt install htop).
- Launch htop with the command htop.
- Use F2 to configure columns to match the metrics you need.
- Use F3/F4 to search and filter processes.
- Use F9 to kill or F10 to renice processes.
- Exit with F10 or Ctrl+C.
Key features of htop
- Real‑time CPU, memory, swap usage
- Color‑coded process tree
- Mouse support for navigation
- Kill/renice processes via key presses
- Filter and search processes
- Sortable columns
- Tree view of process hierarchy
- Customizable display options
How to install htop on Linux
sudo apt install htopsudo apt install htopsudo dnf install htopsudo pacman -S htopsudo zypper install htopFrequently asked questions
Can I view network connections in htop?
htop itself does not show network sockets. Use tools like ss, netstat, or nethogs alongside htop.
Does htop show DLLs or shared libraries?
No. For that you can use lsof or strace to inspect loaded libraries.
Is htop suitable for scripting?
Yes, htop can be run in batch mode with -b to output data that can be parsed by scripts.
2 other alternatives to Process Explorer
GNOME System MonitorGNOME System Monitor is the standard Linux utility for viewing running processes, CPU, memory, and system…Open sourceFreeGNOME System Monitor vs Process Explorer