https://github.com/faratech/htop-win

htop for Windows: inspired interactive process viewer for Windows, written in Rust
https://github.com/faratech/htop-win
bottom btm cli cross-platform htop monitoring process-monitor rust terminal top tui windows
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htop for Windows: inspired interactive process viewer for Windows, written in Rust
Host: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/faratech/htop-win
Owner: faratech
Created: 2025-12-21T23:29:15.000Z (6 months ago)
Default Branch: main
Last Pushed: 2026-06-18T23:44:57.000Z (13 days ago)
Last Synced: 2026-06-19T01:20:15.362Z (13 days ago)
Topics: bottom, btm, cli, cross-platform, htop, monitoring, process-monitor, rust, terminal, top, tui, windows
Language: Rust
Homepage:
Size: 9.41 MB
Stars: 39
Watchers: 0
Forks: 1
Open Issues: 0
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README

          # htop-win

**A native Windows clone of [htop](https://htop.dev/) - the beloved interactive process viewer, rebuilt from the ground up in Rust.**

[![GitHub release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/faratech/htop-win?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/faratech/htop-win/releases/latest)

[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg?style=flat-square)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

![Platform](https://img.shields.io/badge/platform-Windows%2010%2F11-0078D6?style=flat-square&logo=windows)

![Rust](https://img.shields.io/badge/rust-2024%20edition-orange?style=flat-square&logo=rust)

[![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/faratech/htop-win?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/faratech/htop-win/stargazers)

> Inspired by the original [htop](https://github.com/htop-dev/htop) by Hisham Muhammad and contributors.



  





  



---

## Why htop-win?

Windows Task Manager is fine, but power users deserve better. **htop-win** brings the beloved Unix htop experience to Windows with:

- **Blazing fast performance** - Direct Windows API calls, no wrappers

- **Tiny footprint** - ~500KB binary with minimal dependencies

- **Full htop compatibility** - Same keyboard shortcuts you already know

- **Windows-native features** - Efficiency Mode, CPU affinity, elevation detection

- **GPU/NPU monitoring** - Task Manager parity via D3DKMT, auto-enabled when hardware exists

- **Automatic updates** - Background update checks with one-command upgrades

---

## Features

### Real-time System Monitoring

- Per-core CPU usage with color-coded gradient bars (green → yellow → red)

- Memory and swap usage visualization

- **GPU meter** - Total GPU utilization bar (shown automatically when a GPU is present)

- **NPU meter** - NPU utilization bar (shown automatically on Copilot+ and AI PC hardware)

- Network I/O rates (Rx/Tx)

- Disk I/O rates (read/write)

- Battery status and charge indicator

- System uptime and task/thread counts

- Configurable meter modes: Bar, Text, Graph, or Hidden

- Responsive header: scales gracefully from narrow to ultrawide terminals

### Interactive Process Management

- **27 sortable columns**: PID, CPU%, MEM%, GPU%, NPU%, I/O rate, TIME+, Command, and more

- **Screen tabs**: Switch between the Main view and the dedicated I/O tab

- **Tree view**: Visualize parent-child process relationships with collapsible branches

- **Search & Filter**: Find processes instantly with live search

- **Process tagging**: Select multiple processes for batch operations

- **Kill processes**: Graceful termination or force kill

- **Priority control**: Change process priority class (Idle → Realtime)

- **CPU affinity**: Pin processes to specific CPU cores

### GPU & NPU Monitoring (Task Manager Parity)

- System-wide GPU utilization meter in the header

- System-wide NPU utilization meter in the header (Copilot+ PCs)

- Per-process **GPU%** and **GPU-MEM** columns

- Per-process **NPU%** and **NPU-MEM** columns

- Uses the D3DKMT statistics DDI — the same source as Task Manager

- Automatically detected and enabled; hidden on machines without the hardware

### I/O Tab

A dedicated tab focused on disk I/O activity:

- **IO_RATE** - Combined read + write rate per process (bytes/sec)

- **IO_R/s** - Read rate

- **IO_W/s** - Write rate

- **HNDL** - Open handle count

- Sorted by I/O rate by default

### Windows-Specific Features

- **Efficiency Mode (EcoQoS)**: Reduce power consumption for background processes

- **Elevation detection**: See which processes run as Administrator

- **Architecture display**: Identify x86, x64, and ARM64 processes

- **Service account support**: View SYSTEM, LOCAL SERVICE, NETWORK SERVICE processes

- **Modified executable detection**: Highlight processes with changed/deleted binaries

### Full Mouse Support

- Click to select, double-click for details

- Right-click to tag processes

- Click column headers to sort

- Scroll wheel navigation

- Click meters to cycle display modes

- Click tabs to switch views

### Customization

- **8 color themes**: Default, Monochrome, Light Terminal, Midnight, Nord, and more

- **Configurable columns**: Show/hide and reorder any column, saved per-tab

- **Adjustable refresh rate**: 100ms to 5 seconds

- **Persistent settings**: Configuration saved to `%APPDATA%\htop-win\config`

---

## Installation

### Quick Install (Recommended)

Download the latest release for your architecture:

| Architecture | Download |

|--------------|----------|

| x64 (Intel/AMD) | [htop-win-amd64.exe](https://github.com/faratech/htop-win/releases/latest/download/htop-win-amd64.exe) |

| ARM64 | [htop-win-arm64.exe](https://github.com/faratech/htop-win/releases/latest/download/htop-win-arm64.exe) |

### Install to PATH

Run with administrator privileges to install globally:

```powershell

.\htop-win-amd64.exe --install

```

This installs to `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\htop.exe`, making `htop` available from any terminal.

### Update

Check for updates and install automatically:

```powershell

htop --update

```

Or force reinstall the current version:

```powershell

htop --update --force

```

### Build from Source

```powershell

# Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/faratech/htop-win.git

cd htop-win

# Build optimized release (~500KB binary)

cargo build --release

# Run

.\target\release\htop-win.exe

```

**Requirements**: Rust 1.85+ (2024 edition), Windows 10/11

---

## Usage

```

htop-win [OPTIONS]

Options:

  -d, --delay           Refresh rate in milliseconds [default: 1500]

  -u, --user          Show only processes from this user

  -p, --pid        Show only these PIDs (comma-separated)

  -s, --sort        Sort by: pid, ppid, cpu, mem, time, command, user, threads

  -t, --tree                Start in tree view mode

  -F, --filter      Initial filter string

  -H, --highlight     Highlight new processes for N seconds

  -n, --iterations       Exit after N updates (for scripting)

      --benchmark[=]     Run N iterations and print timing stats [default: 20]

      --benchmark-iterations 

                            Run benchmark mode with N iterations

      --inefficient         Disable Efficiency Mode / EcoQoS

      --no-color            Monochrome mode

      --no-mouse            Disable mouse support

      --no-meters           Hide header meters

      --readonly            Disable kill/priority operations

      --install             Install to PATH (requires admin)

      --update              Check for and install updates

      --gpu-debug           Print GPU/NPU adapter diagnostics and exit

      --cpu-debug           Print CPU / processor-group diagnostics and exit

  -f, --force               Force install/update

  -h, --help                Show help

  -V, --version             Show version

```

### Examples

```powershell

# Monitor with 500ms refresh rate

htop -d 500

# Show only processes from current user

htop -u $env:USERNAME

# Start in tree view, sorted by memory

htop -t -s mem

# Filter to show only Chrome processes

htop -F chrome

# Monitor specific PIDs

htop -p 1234,5678,9012

```

---

## Keyboard Shortcuts

### Navigation

| Key | Action |

|-----|--------|

| `↑` / `k` | Move selection up |

| `↓` / `j` | Move selection down |

| `PgUp` / `PgDn` | Page up / down |

| `Home` / `g` | Jump to first process |

| `End` / `G` | Jump to last process |

| `Tab` / `Shift+Tab` | Switch screen tabs |

| `1` / `2` | PID prefix search |

### Main Controls (Function Keys)

| Key | Action |

|-----|--------|

| `F1` / `?` | Help screen |

| `F2` / `S` | Setup menu |

| `F3` / `/` | Search processes |

| `F4` / `\` | Filter processes |

| `F5` / `t` | Toggle tree view |

| `F6` / `<` `>` | Change sort column |

| `F7` / `]` | Raise priority (opens dialog one class higher, Enter to apply) |

| `F8` / `[` | Lower priority (opens dialog one class lower, Enter to apply) |

| `F9` | Kill process |

| `F10` / `q` | Quit |

### Process Operations

| Key | Action |

|-----|--------|

| `Enter` | View process details |

| `Space` | Tag/untag process |

| `c` | Tag process and all children |

| `U` | Untag all processes |

| `Ctrl+T` | Tag all with same name |

| `Ctrl+A` | Toggle tag all visible |

| `e` | View environment variables |

| `w` | View full command line |

| `a` | Set CPU affinity |

| `F` | Toggle follow mode |

### Tree View

| Key | Action |

|-----|--------|

| `+` / `=` | Expand branch |

| `-` | Collapse branch |

| `*` | Toggle expand/collapse all |

| `Backspace` | Collapse to parent |

### Display

| Key | Action |

|-----|--------|

| `#` | Toggle header meters |

| `p` | Toggle program path display |

| `H` | Toggle user threads |

| `K` | Toggle kernel threads |

| `Z` | Pause/resume updates |

| `I` | Invert sort order |

### Quick Sort

| Key | Sort By |

|-----|---------|

| `P` | CPU% |

| `M` | Memory% |

| `T` | Time |

| `N` | PID |

---

## Configuration

htop-win saves settings to `%APPDATA%\htop-win\config\config.json`. Configure via the Setup menu (`F2`) or edit directly:

```json

{

  "refresh_rate_ms": 1500,

  "tree_view_default": false,

  "color_scheme": "Default",

  "show_kernel_threads": false,

  "show_program_path": false,

  "highlight_new_processes": true,

  "highlight_large_numbers": true,

  "cpu_meter_mode": "Bar",

  "memory_meter_mode": "Bar",

  "visible_columns": ["PID", "USER", "PRI", "CLASS", "THR", "VIRT", "RES", "SHR", "S", "CPU%", "MEM%", "TIME+", "Command"],

  "mouse_enabled": true,

  "confirm_kill": true

}

```

### Color Themes

Access via Setup (`F2`) → Color Scheme:

- **Default** - Classic htop colors

- **Monochrome** - No colors (accessibility)

- **Black on White** - Light theme

- **Light Terminal** - For light backgrounds

- **Midnight** - Dark blue theme

- **Blacknight** - Pure dark theme

- **Broken Gray** - Subtle grays

- **Nord** - Nord color palette

---

## Columns Reference

### Main Tab

| Column | Description | Width |

|--------|-------------|-------|

| `PID` | Process ID | 7 |

| `PPID` | Parent Process ID | 7 |

| `USER` | Process owner | 10 |

| `PRI` | Priority (0-31) | 4 |

| `CLASS` | Priority class (Idle/Normal/High/Realtime) | 7 |

| `THR` | Thread count | 4 |

| `VIRT` | Virtual memory | 8 |

| `RES` | Resident (physical) memory | 8 |

| `SHR` | Shared memory | 8 |

| `S` | Status if known; `?` when Windows native process query does not expose htop-style state | 3 |

| `CPU%` | CPU usage percentage | 6 |

| `MEM%` | Memory usage percentage | 6 |

| `GPU%` | GPU utilization % (max across all GPU engines) | 6 |

| `GPU-MEM` | GPU committed memory across all adapters | 8 |

| `NPU%` | NPU utilization % | 6 |

| `NPU-MEM` | NPU dedicated + shared memory | 8 |

| `TIME+` | Cumulative CPU time | 10 |

| `START` | Process start time | 8 |

| `Command` | Command line | Flexible |

| `ELEV` | Elevated/Admin status | 4 |

| `ARCH` | Architecture (x86/x64/ARM64) | 5 |

| `ECO` | Efficiency Mode status | 4 |

> New default configs include GPU% / GPU-MEM and NPU% / NPU-MEM when relevant hardware is detected. Existing custom column layouts are preserved; enable these columns from Setup if you want to add them later.

### I/O Tab

| Column | Description |

|--------|-------------|

| `PID` | Process ID |

| `USER` | Process owner |

| `IO_RATE` | Combined read + write rate (bytes/sec) |

| `IO_R/s` | Read rate |

| `IO_W/s` | Write rate |

| `IO_RD` | Cumulative bytes read |

| `IO_WR` | Cumulative bytes written |

| `HNDL` | Open handle count |

| `Command` | Command line |

---

## System Requirements

- **OS**: Windows 10 (1903+) or Windows 11

- **Architecture**: x64 (AMD64) or ARM64

- **Terminal**: Windows Terminal recommended (supports full color and Unicode)

- **Privileges**: Administrator recommended for full process visibility

---

## Dependencies

Minimal dependency set optimized for small binary size:

| Dependency | Purpose |

|------------|---------|

| [crossterm](https://github.com/crossterm-rs/crossterm) | Cross-platform terminal I/O |

| [windows-rs](https://github.com/microsoft/windows-rs) | Native Windows API bindings |

| [unicode-width](https://github.com/unicode-rs/unicode-width) | Unicode character width calculation |

| [bitflags](https://github.com/bitflags/bitflags) | Terminal modifier flags |

| [lexopt](https://github.com/blyber/lexopt) | Lightweight argument parsing |

**No heavy frameworks**: Custom terminal UI library (replaces ratatui), custom JSON parser (replaces serde).

---

## Performance

htop-win is designed for efficiency:

- **~500KB binary** - Minimal dependencies, LTO optimization

- **Efficiency Mode by default** - Runs with reduced CPU priority

- **Smart caching** - Minimizes Windows API calls

- **Background data collection** - System metrics refresh off the UI thread

- **Diff-based rendering** - Only updates changed terminal cells

- **Direct API access** - No abstraction layers

---

## Comparison with Alternatives

| Feature | htop-win | Task Manager | Process Explorer |

|---------|----------|--------------|------------------|

| Terminal-based | Yes | No | No |

| Keyboard-driven | Yes | Limited | Limited |

| Tree view | Yes | Yes | Yes |

| Process search | Yes | Yes | Yes |

| CPU affinity | Yes | Yes | Yes |

| GPU/NPU monitoring | Yes | Yes | No |

| Efficiency Mode | Yes | Yes | No |

| I/O per-process | Yes | No | Yes |

| Custom columns | Yes | Limited | Yes |

| Color themes | 8 themes | No | No |

| Binary size | ~500KB | N/A | ~2MB |

| Auto-update | Yes | N/A | No |

---

## Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

1. Fork the repository

2. Create your feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)

3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'`)

4. Push to the branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)

5. Open a Pull Request

---

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.

---

## Acknowledgments

- [htop](https://github.com/htop-dev/htop) - The original inspiration by Hisham Muhammad

- [windows-rs](https://github.com/microsoft/windows-rs) - Excellent Windows API bindings

- [crossterm](https://github.com/crossterm-rs/crossterm) - Cross-platform terminal library

---



  Star this repo if you find it useful!


  https://github.com/faratech/htop-win
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