socktop

socktop is a remote system monitor with a rich TUI, inspired by top/btop, talking to a lightweight agent over WebSockets.

• Linux agent: near-zero CPU when idle (request-driven, no always-on sampler)
• TUI: smooth graphs, sortable process table, scrollbars, readable colors

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Features

• Remote monitoring via WebSocket (JSON over WS)
• Optional WSS (TLS): agent auto‑generates a self‑signed cert on first run; client pins the cert via --tls-ca/-t
• TUI built with ratatui
• CPU
  • Overall sparkline + per-core mini bars
  • Accurate per-process CPU% (Linux /proc deltas), normalized to 0–100%
• Memory/Swap gauges with human units
• Disks: per-device usage
• Network: per-interface throughput with sparklines and peak markers
• Temperatures: CPU (optional)
• Top processes (top 50)
  • PID, name, CPU%, memory, and memory%
  • Click-to-sort by CPU% or Mem (descending)
  • Scrollbar and mouse/keyboard scrolling
  • Total process count shown in the header
  • Only top-level processes listed (threads hidden) — matches btop/top
• Optional GPU metrics (can be disabled)
• Optional auth token for the agent

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Prerequisites: Install Rust (rustup)

Rust is fast, safe, and cross‑platform. Installing it will make your machine better. Consider yourself privileged.

Linux/macOS:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
# load cargo for this shell
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"
# ensure stable is up to date
rustup update stable
rustc --version
cargo --version
# after install you may need to reload your shell, e.g.:
exec bash   # or: exec zsh / exec fish

Windows (for the brave): install from https://rustup.rs with the MSVC toolchain. Yes, you’ll need Visual Studio Build Tools. You chose Windows — enjoy the ride.

Raspberry Pi / Ubuntu / PopOS (required)

Install GPU support with apt command below

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libdrm-dev libdrm-amdgpu1

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Architecture

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.

2. Client (local): TUI that connects to ws://HOST:PORT/ws (or wss://HOST:PORT/ws when TLS is enabled) and renders updates.

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Quick start

• Build both binaries:

git clone https://github.com/jasonwitty/socktop.git
cd socktop
cargo build --release

• Start the agent on the target machine (default port 3000):

./target/release/socktop_agent --port 3000

• Connect with the TUI from your local machine:

./target/release/socktop ws://REMOTE_HOST:3000/ws

Tip: Add ?token=... if you enable auth (see Security).

TLS quick start (optional, recommended on untrusted networks):

• Start the agent with TLS enabled (default TLS port 8443). On first run it will generate a self‑signed certificate and key under your config directory.

./target/release/socktop_agent --enableSSL --port 8443   # or: -p 8443
# First run prints the cert and key paths, e.g.:
# socktop_agent: generated self-signed TLS certificate at /home/you/.config/socktop_agent/tls/cert.pem
# socktop_agent: private key at /home/you/.config/socktop_agent/tls/key.pem

• Copy the certificate file to the client machine (keep the key private on the server):

scp /home/you/.config/socktop_agent/tls/cert.pem you@client:/tmp/socktop-agent-ca.pem

• Connect with the TUI, pinning the server cert:

./target/release/socktop --tls-ca /tmp/socktop-agent-ca.pem wss://REMOTE_HOST:8443/ws
# Note: if you pass --tls-ca but use ws://, the client auto-upgrades to wss://

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Install (from crates.io)

You don’t need to clone this repo to use socktop. Install the published binaries with cargo:

# TUI (client)
cargo install socktop
# Agent (server)
cargo install socktop_agent

This drops socktop and socktop_agent into ~/.cargo/bin (add it to PATH).

Notes:

• After installing Rust via rustup, reload your shell (e.g., exec bash) so cargo is on PATH.
• Windows: you can also grab prebuilt EXEs from GitHub Actions artifacts if rustup scares you. It shouldn’t. Be brave.

Option B: System-wide agent (Linux)

# If you installed with cargo, binaries are in ~/.cargo/bin
sudo install -o root -g root -m 0755 "$HOME/.cargo/bin/socktop_agent" /usr/local/bin/socktop_agent

# Install and enable the systemd service (example unit in docs/)
sudo install -o root -g root -m 0644 docs/socktop-agent.service /etc/systemd/system/socktop-agent.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now socktop-agent

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Usage

Agent (server):

socktop_agent --port 3000
# or env: SOCKTOP_PORT=3000 socktop_agent
# optional auth: SOCKTOP_TOKEN=changeme socktop_agent
# enable TLS (self‑signed cert, default port 8443; you can also use -p):
socktop_agent --enableSSL --port 8443

Client (TUI):

socktop ws://HOST:3000/ws
# with token:
socktop "ws://HOST:3000/ws?token=changeme"
# TLS with pinned server certificate (recommended over the internet):
socktop --tls-ca /path/to/cert.pem wss://HOST:8443/ws
# shorthand:
socktop -t /path/to/cert.pem wss://HOST:8443/ws
# Note: providing --tls-ca/-t automatically upgrades ws:// to wss:// if you forget

Intervals (client-driven):

• Fast metrics: ~500 ms
• Processes: ~2 s (top 50)
• Disks: ~5 s

The agent stays idle unless queried. When queried, it collects just what’s needed.

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Connection Profiles (Named)

You can save frequently used connection settings (URL + optional TLS CA path) under a short name and reuse them later.

Config file location:

• Linux (XDG): $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/socktop/profiles.json
• Fallback (when XDG not set): ~/.config/socktop/profiles.json

Creating a profile

First time you specify a new --profile/-P name together with a URL (and optional --tls-ca), it is saved automatically:

socktop --profile prod ws://prod-host:3000/ws
# With TLS pinning:
socktop --profile prod-tls --tls-ca /path/to/cert.pem wss://prod-host:8443/ws

If a profile already exists you will be prompted before overwriting:

$ socktop --profile prod ws://new-host:3000/ws
Overwrite existing profile 'prod'? [y/N]: y

To overwrite without an interactive prompt pass --save:

socktop --profile prod --save ws://new-host:3000/ws

Using a saved profile

Just pass the profile name (no URL needed):

socktop --profile prod
socktop -P prod-tls      # short flag

The stored URL (and TLS CA path, if any) will be used. TLS auto-upgrade still applies if a CA path is stored alongside a ws:// URL.

Interactive selection (no args)

If you run socktop with no arguments and at least one profile exists, you will be shown a numbered list to pick from:

$ socktop
Select profile:
  1. prod
  2. prod-tls
Enter number (or blank to abort): 2

Choosing a number starts the TUI with that profile. A built‑in demo option is always appended; selecting it launches a local agent on port 3231 (no TLS) and connects to ws://127.0.0.1:3231/ws. Pressing Enter on blank aborts without connecting.

JSON format

An example profiles.json (pretty‑printed):

{
  "profiles": {
    "prod": { "url": "ws://prod-host:3000/ws" },
    "prod-tls": { "url": "wss://prod-host:8443/ws", "tls_ca": "/home/user/certs/prod-cert.pem" }
  },
  "version": 0
}

Notes:

• The tls_ca path is stored as given; if you move or rotate the certificate update the profile by re-running with --profile NAME --save.
• Deleting a profile: edit the JSON file and remove the entry (TUI does not yet have an in-app delete command).
• Profiles are client-side convenience only; they do not affect the agent.

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Updating

Update the agent (systemd):

# on the server running the agent
cargo install socktop_agent --force
sudo systemctl stop socktop-agent
sudo install -o root -g root -m 0755 "$HOME/.cargo/bin/socktop_agent" /usr/local/bin/socktop_agent
# if you changed the unit file:
# sudo install -o root -g root -m 0644 docs/socktop-agent.service /etc/systemd/system/socktop-agent.service
# sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start socktop-agent
sudo systemctl status socktop-agent --no-pager
# logs:
# journalctl -u socktop-agent -f

Update the TUI (client):

cargo install socktop --force
socktop ws://HOST:3000/ws

Tip: If only the binary changed, restart is enough. If the unit file changed, run sudo systemctl daemon-reload.

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Configuration (agent)

• Port:
  • Flag: --port 8080 or -p 8080
  • Positional: socktop_agent 8080
  • Env: SOCKTOP_PORT=8080
• TLS (self‑signed):
  • Enable: --enableSSL
  • Default TLS port: 8443 (override with --port/-p)
  • Certificate/Key location (created on first TLS run):
    • Linux (XDG): $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/socktop_agent/tls/{cert.pem,key.pem} (defaults to ~/.config)
    • The agent prints these paths on creation.
  • You can set XDG_CONFIG_HOME before first run to control where certs are written.
• Auth token (optional): SOCKTOP_TOKEN=changeme
• Disable GPU metrics: SOCKTOP_AGENT_GPU=0
• Disable CPU temperature: SOCKTOP_AGENT_TEMP=0

---

Keyboard & Mouse

• Quit: q or Esc
• Processes pane:
  • Click “CPU %” to sort by CPU descending
  • Click “Mem” to sort by memory descending
  • Mouse wheel: scroll
  • Drag scrollbar: scroll
  • Arrow/PageUp/PageDown/Home/End: scroll

---

Example agent JSON

{
  "cpu_total": 12.4,
  "cpu_per_core": [11.2, 15.7],
  "mem_total": 33554432,
  "mem_used": 18321408,
  "swap_total": 0,
  "swap_used": 0,
  "process_count": 127,
  "hostname": "myserver",
  "cpu_temp_c": 42.5,
  "disks": [{"name":"nvme0n1p2","total":512000000000,"available":320000000000}],
  "networks": [{"name":"eth0","received":12345678,"transmitted":87654321}],
  "top_processes": [
    {"pid":1234,"name":"nginx","cpu_usage":1.2,"mem_bytes":12345678}
  ],
  "gpus": null
}

Notes:

• process_count is merged into the main metrics on the client when processes are polled.
• top_processes are the current top 50 (sorting in the TUI is client-side).

---

Security

Set a token on the agent and pass it as a query param from the client:

Server:

SOCKTOP_TOKEN=changeme socktop_agent --port 3000

Client:

socktop "ws://HOST:3000/ws?token=changeme"

TLS / WSS

For encrypted connections, enable TLS on the agent and pin the server certificate on the client.

Server (generates self‑signed cert and key on first run):

socktop_agent --enableSSL --port 8443

Client (trust/pin the server cert; copy cert.pem from the agent):

socktop --tls-ca /path/to/agent/cert.pem wss://HOST:8443/ws

Notes:

• Do not copy the private key off the server; only the cert.pem is needed by clients.
• When --tls-ca/-t is supplied, the client auto‑upgrades ws:// to wss:// to avoid protocol mismatch.
• You can run multiple clients with different cert paths by passing --tls-ca per invocation.

---

Using tmux to monitor multiple hosts

You can use tmux to show multiple socktop instances in a single terminal.

monitoring 4 Raspberry Pis using Tmux

Prerequisites:

• Install tmux (Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt-get install tmux)

Key bindings (defaults):

• Split left/right: Ctrl-b %
• Split top/bottom: Ctrl-b "
• Move between panes: Ctrl-b + Arrow keys
• Show pane numbers: Ctrl-b q
• Close a pane: Ctrl-b x
• Detach from session: Ctrl-b d

Two panes (left/right)

• This creates a session named "socktop", splits it horizontally, and starts two socktops.

tmux new-session -d -s socktop 'socktop ws://HOST1:3000/ws' \; \
  split-window -h 'socktop ws://HOST2:3000/ws' \; \
  select-layout even-horizontal \; \
  attach

Four panes (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right)

• This creates a 2x2 grid with one socktop per pane.

tmux new-session -d -s socktop 'socktop ws://HOST1:3000/ws' \; \
  split-window -h 'socktop ws://HOST2:3000/ws' \; \
  select-pane -t 0 \; split-window -v 'socktop ws://HOST3:3000/ws' \; \
  select-pane -t 1 \; split-window -v 'socktop ws://HOST4:3000/ws' \; \
  select-layout tiled \; \
  attach

Tips:

• Replace HOST1..HOST4 (and ports) with your targets.
• Reattach later: tmux attach -t socktop

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Platform notes

• Linux: fully supported (agent and client).
• Raspberry Pi:
  • 64-bit: aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
  • 32-bit: armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf
• Windows:
  • TUI + agent can build with stable Rust; bring your own MSVC. You’re on Windows; you know the drill.
  • CPU temperature may be unavailable.
  • binary exe for both available in build artifacts under actions.
• macOS:
  • TUI works; agent is primarily targeted at Linux. Agent will run just fine on macos for debugging but I have not documented how to run as a service, I may not given the "security" feautures with applications on macos. We will see.

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Development

cargo fmt
cargo clippy --all-targets --all-features
cargo run -p socktop -- ws://127.0.0.1:3000/ws
# TLS (dev): first run will create certs under ~/.config/socktop_agent/tls/
cargo run -p socktop_agent -- --enableSSL --port 8443

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Roadmap

• Agent authentication (token)
• Hide per-thread entries; only show processes
• Sort top processes in the TUI
• Configurable refresh intervals (client)
• Export metrics to file
• TLS / WSS support (self‑signed server cert + client pinning)
• Split processes/disks to separate WS calls with independent cadences (already logical on client; formalize API)

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License

MIT — see LICENSE.

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Acknowledgements

• ratatui for the TUI
• sysinfo for system metrics
• tokio-tungstenite for WebSockets