iotop

Linux enthusiasts and system administrators know the importance of monitoring system resources. While tools like top and htop provide a vivid insight into CPU and memory utilization, mastering disk I/O operations can be equally crucial, especially when diagnosing system slowdowns or optimizing performance. This is where iotop, a powerful command-line utility, comes into play. It allows you to monitor disk I/O usage by each process in real-time. In this blog, we'll explore how to install, use, and interpret the output of iotop. iotop is like the top command but specifically focused on disk I/O.

Monitoring system resources plays an indispensable role in system administration. Among a wide array of tools available for Linux system monitoring, iotop stands out when it comes to tracking real-time disk I/O (Input/Output) usage. In this article, let’s delve deep into what iotop is, its significance, how to install it using different package managers, and how to use it effectively. Iotop is a command-line utility similar in fashion to the well-known top command, but distinctively focused on providing real-time insights about disk I/O. It helps administrators view current I/O usage by processes or threads, which can be crucial for diagnosing systems that appear sluggish or unresponsive due to high disk activity.