Glances System Monitoring Tool
Glances is a cross-platform, terminal-based system monitoring tool designed to provide a real-time overview of system performance in a single unified interface. It aggregates CPU, memory, disk I/O, network activity, processes, and system load into one dashboard, allowing administrators and advanced users to quickly assess system health without switching between multiple utilities.
Within the RebootTools ecosystem, Glances belongs to the lightweight diagnostics and monitoring category. It complements GUI-based tools such as System Informer, HWiNFO, and HWMonitor, but targets environments where speed, remote access, and low overhead are more important than graphical visualization.
What This Tool Is
Glances is essentially a real-time performance aggregator. Instead of focusing on a single subsystem (like CPU or RAM), it continuously collects metrics from multiple sources and displays them simultaneously in a terminal interface. This allows users to correlate events across different system layers, such as identifying whether high CPU usage is linked to disk activity or network throughput.
The tool is written in Python and relies on libraries like psutil to gather system data. Because of this, it is portable and extensible, making it suitable for scripting, automation, and integration into DevOps workflows.
When and Why to Use Glances
Glances is not a replacement for enterprise monitoring platforms. It is designed for fast diagnostics and real-time visibility when you need immediate answers.
- Quick troubleshooting: identify CPU spikes, memory leaks, or I/O bottlenecks in seconds
- Remote server monitoring: run over SSH without installing heavy agents
- DevOps workflows: observe system behavior during deployments and testing
- Portable diagnostics: run on different systems without complex setup
- Lightweight monitoring: minimal resource usage compared to full monitoring stacks
If your workflow is Windows-heavy and GUI-oriented, tools like System Informer or Process Explorer may be more suitable. Glances is optimized for terminal-first environments.
Key Features
- Unified dashboard: CPU, RAM, disk, network, and processes in one view
- Color-coded alerts: thresholds highlight abnormal values instantly
- Cross-platform: Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD
- Remote monitoring: client/server architecture
- Web interface: optional browser-based dashboard
- Plugin system: extend metrics and integrations
- Low overhead: suitable for resource-constrained systems
How Glances Works
Glances continuously polls system metrics and displays them in real time. Each metric is evaluated against predefined thresholds and visually marked using colors (green, yellow, red). This approach reduces the need to interpret raw numbers and allows operators to immediately detect anomalies.
In distributed environments, Glances can run in server mode, exposing metrics over a network socket. A client instance can then connect remotely and display system data without requiring full shell access. This is particularly useful for monitoring VPS instances or isolated systems.
Real-World Usage Scenarios
1. VPS Monitoring
Run Glances over SSH to monitor CPU load, RAM usage, and disk I/O in real time without installing agents.
2. Performance Troubleshooting
Identify bottlenecks quickly by correlating CPU, disk, and network activity in one interface.
3. DevOps Diagnostics
Monitor system behavior during builds, deployments, or stress tests.
4. Network Analysis Context
Combine Glances with iperf3 for throughput testing or Wireshark for packet inspection to understand system-level impact.
5. Quick Health Checks
Use a single command to verify overall system state instead of launching multiple tools.
Limitations and Risks
- No historical data: not designed for long-term monitoring
- No alerting system: requires external tools for notifications
- CLI-focused: may be difficult for GUI-only users
- Python dependency: setup required on some systems
For persistent monitoring and alerting, consider dedicated solutions. Glances is best used as a diagnostic tool, not a monitoring platform.
Glances vs Alternatives
Glances vs HWiNFO / HWMonitor
HWiNFO and HWMonitor provide detailed hardware metrics via GUI. Glances is faster and better suited for remote CLI environments.
Glances vs System Informer
System Informer focuses on deep Windows process inspection. Glances provides broader system overview across platforms.
Glances vs Process Explorer
Process Explorer is process-centric. Glances is system-wide.
Download Options
| Version | Platform | Type | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.4 | Cross-platform | Source (.tar.gz) | Download |
Note: Glances is typically installed via Python (pip). This archive is intended for manual or scripted deployment.
Usage / Best Practices
- Use for real-time diagnostics, not monitoring history
- Run with elevated privileges for full metrics
- Use client/server mode for remote systems
- Combine with specialized tools when deeper analysis is needed