ctop

ctop is a terminal-based monitoring tool that provides a top-like interface for viewing container metrics in real-time. It displays CPU, memory, network, and block I/O statistics for multiple running containers in a condensed grid view, similar to how htop shows system processes. The tool includes built-in support for Docker and runC containers, with connectors for other container systems planned for future releases.

The interface offers both a multi-container overview and detailed single-container views for deeper inspection. Users can filter containers, sort by different metrics, toggle between running and all containers, and access container logs or exec into shells directly from the interface. Configuration options include customizable column displays, color schemes, and persistent settings that can be saved to a config file.

ctop requires no arguments and automatically connects to the local Docker daemon using standard Docker host variables. It's particularly useful for developers, DevOps engineers, and system administrators who need to monitor container resource usage without switching between multiple tools or dashboard interfaces.

Installation

# via Homebrew
brew install ctop

# via Pacman
sudo pacman -S ctop

# via Scoop
scoop install ctop