How do I install btop on macOS to monitor system performance?

Ready to ditch Activity Monitor for a faster Mac terminal tool?

The Command Line Power User’s Guide to btop for macOS

As a technical advisor, I strongly recommend incorporating btop into your workflow if you require precise system monitoring without the overhead of a graphical interface. While macOS provides the native Activity Monitor, it often consumes significant resources itself. btop solves this by running efficiently within your Terminal.

This C++ based utility offers a significant upgrade over traditional tools like top or htop. It provides a responsive, aesthetic, and highly detailed interface for managing your Mac’s performance.

Why btop Outperforms Standard Tools

btop distinguishes itself through speed and interactivity. Unlike older command-line tools that rely solely on keyboard shortcuts, btop supports full mouse interaction. You can click to filter processes, scroll through lists, and switch tabs effortlessly.

Key capabilities include:

• Real-time Visualization: View dynamic graphs for CPU frequency, memory allocation, disk I/O, and network traffic.
• Process Management: Identify and terminate unresponsive applications instantly, functioning as a robust task manager.
• Customization: Apply themes to match your terminal setup and toggle specific widgets based on your monitoring needs.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: While this guide focuses on macOS (including the latest macOS Tahoe 26), your knowledge here transfers seamlessly to Linux and Windows environments.

Prerequisites: Setting Up Homebrew

To install btop efficiently, you must use Homebrew. This package manager handles dependencies automatically, ensuring a clean installation.

Step 1: Verify Homebrew Installation

Open your Terminal (found in /Applications/Utilities/ or via Spotlight) and check for Homebrew:

brew --version

If the command returns a version number, proceed to the update step. If the command is not found, install Homebrew by pasting this script:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Step 2: Update Repositories

Always update your package definitions to avoid fetching outdated software versions:

brew update

Installation Guide

With Homebrew ready, installing btop requires a single command. This process downloads the compiled binary and links it to your system path.

execute the following command:

brew install btop

Homebrew will handle the necessary dependencies. Once the process completes, the tool is ready for immediate use.

Navigating the btop Interface

Launch the monitor by typing:

btop

Understanding the Layout

Upon launch, you will see a segmented interface.

• CPU Box: Displays usage per core and current temperatures.
• Mem Box: Shows RAM usage, swap memory, and cache status.
• Net Box: Tracks upload and download speeds in real-time.
• Proc Box: Lists active processes.

Controls and Interactions

• Filter Processes: Press f and type the name of a program to isolate it.
• Kill Processes: Select a process with arrow keys (or mouse) and press k to terminate it.
• Menu: Press m to access settings, where you can change update intervals or color themes.
• Quit: Press q or Esc to exit the program.

For professionals managing heavy workloads or developers needing to track resource leaks, btop provides the necessary data at a glance. It integrates legitimate utility with modern design, making it a superior choice for terminal-centric macOS users.