diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 69cc800..a103d71 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ sudo apt-get install libdrm-dev libdrm-amdgpu1
 
 Two components:
 
-1) Agent (remote): small Rust WS server using sysinfo + /proc. It collects on demand when the client asks (fast metrics ~500 ms, processes ~2 s, disks ~5 s). No background loop when nobody is connected.
+1) Agent (remote): small Rust WS server using sysinfo + /proc. It collects metrics only when the client requests them over the WebSocket (request-driven). No background sampling loop.
 
 2) Client (local): TUI that connects to ws://HOST:PORT/ws (or wss://HOST:PORT/ws when TLS is enabled) and renders updates.
 
diff --git a/socktop_agent/src/main.rs b/socktop_agent/src/main.rs
index 2f82b3f..e68146c 100644
--- a/socktop_agent/src/main.rs
+++ b/socktop_agent/src/main.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-//! socktop agent entrypoint: sets up sysinfo handles, launches a sampler,
-//! and serves a WebSocket endpoint at /ws.
+//! socktop agent entrypoint: sets up sysinfo handles and serves a WebSocket endpoint at /ws.
 
 mod gpu;
 mod metrics;
 mod proto;
-mod sampler;
+// sampler module removed (metrics now purely request-driven)
 mod state;
 mod types;
 mod ws;
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ use std::str::FromStr;
 
 mod tls;
 
-use crate::sampler::{spawn_disks_sampler, spawn_process_sampler, spawn_sampler};
 use state::AppState;
 
 fn arg_flag(name: &str) -> bool {
@@ -45,13 +43,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let state = AppState::new();
 
-    // Start background sampler (adjust cadence as needed)
-    // 500ms fast metrics
-    let _h_fast = spawn_sampler(state.clone(), std::time::Duration::from_millis(500));
-    // 2s processes (top 50)
-    let _h_procs = spawn_process_sampler(state.clone(), std::time::Duration::from_secs(2), 50);
-    // 5s disks
-    let _h_disks = spawn_disks_sampler(state.clone(), std::time::Duration::from_secs(5));
+    // No background samplers: metrics collected on-demand per websocket request.
 
     // Web app: route /ws to the websocket handler
     async fn healthz() -> StatusCode {
diff --git a/socktop_agent/src/sampler.rs b/socktop_agent/src/sampler.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 4088ef4..0000000
--- a/socktop_agent/src/sampler.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-//! Background sampler: periodically collects metrics and updates precompressed caches,
-//! so WS replies just read and send cached bytes.
-
-use crate::state::AppState;
-use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
-use tokio::time::{sleep, Duration};
-
-// 500ms: fast path (cpu/mem/net/temp/gpu)
-pub fn spawn_sampler(_state: AppState, _period: Duration) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    tokio::spawn(async move {
-        // no-op background sampler (request-driven collection elsewhere)
-        loop {
-            sleep(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
-        }
-    })
-}
-
-// 2s: processes top-k
-pub fn spawn_process_sampler(_state: AppState, _period: Duration, _top_k: usize) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    tokio::spawn(async move {
-        loop {
-            sleep(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
-        }
-    })
-}
-
-// 5s: disks
-pub fn spawn_disks_sampler(_state: AppState, _period: Duration) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    tokio::spawn(async move {
-        loop {
-            sleep(Duration::from_secs(3600)).await;
-        }
-    })
-}