Windows perfmon / Resource Monitor equivalent in Linux
Shows real-time statistics on CPU, memory, disk I/O, and system activity.
perfmon / Resource Monitor
vmstat / iostat
vmstat / iostat
vmstat / iostat
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "perfmon / Resource Monitor" is used to monitor system performance. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "vmstat / iostat". Shows real-time statistics on CPU, memory, disk I/O, and system activity. This reference is grouped under System & Storage → System Info.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows perfmon / Resource Monitor maps to vmstat / iostat for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux disks, storage and mounts.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Monitor system performance
Shows real-time statistics on CPU, memory, disk I/O, and system activity.
vmstat 1
System stats, updated every 1 second
iostat
Disk I/O statistics
iotop
Per-process disk I/O (like Task Manager I/O tab)
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
vmstat 1
iostat -x 1
sudo iotop
sudo apt install glances
glances
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: perfmon / Resource Monitor (GUI)
vmstat 1 # live stats every second
iostat -x 1 # disk read/write stats
sudo iotop # which process is using disk?
# All-in-one (install first):
sudo apt install glances
glances # best overall performance viewReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
vmstat 1 | System stats, updated every 1 second |
iostat | Disk I/O statistics |
iotop | Per-process disk I/O (like Task Manager I/O tab) |
mpstat 1 | Per-CPU usage stats |
glances | All-in-one monitor (install separately) |
sar | Historical system activity reports |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "vmstat / iostat" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | vmstat / iostat |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | vmstat / iostat |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | vmstat / iostat |
Same command on this distribution. |
Keep learning