# genact

> Terminal program that prints fake activity output (compilers, builds, botnets, downloads) to look busy. Runs natively or in a browser via WebAssembly.

Stars: 12.2k · Language: Rust · License: MIT · Categories: Shell

- Repository: https://github.com/svenstaro/genact
- Website: https://svenstaro.github.io/genact/
- Page: https://www.trmn.sh/tools/genact

## Install

- Homebrew: `brew install genact`
- Cargo: `cargo install genact`
- Scoop: `scoop install genact`

## Overview

genact is a nonsense activity generator. It prints realistic-looking terminal output for tasks that are not actually running, such as compiling a kernel, running a Cargo build, dumping memory, or brute-forcing a password. Nothing is executed; the output is simulated for display.

It ships with a set of scenes called modules: ansible, bootlog, botnet, bruteforce, cargo, cc, composer, cryptomining, docker_build, docker_image_rm, download, julia, kernel_compile, memdump, mkinitcpio, rkhunter, simcity, terraform, uv, weblog, and wpt. By default it cycles through them. Command-line options let you list modules (-l), run only selected ones (-m), set a global speed factor (-s), print a number of lines instantly (-i), and exit after a set time (--exit-after-time, e.g. 2h10min) or after a number of modules (--exit-after-modules). It can also generate shell completions for bash, elvish, fish, powershell, and zsh, and a man page.

A web version runs at svenstaro.github.io/genact via WebAssembly, where modules and speed are chosen with URL parameters (?module=cc&module=memdump, ?speed-factor=5). Prebuilt binaries are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and it is also compatible with FreeBSD. A Docker image (svenstaro/genact) is available too. It is written in Rust. Typical uses are demos, screen fillers, and joke or prank setups.

### Installation

```bash
# via Homebrew
brew install genact
```

```bash
# via Cargo
cargo install genact
```

```bash
# via Scoop
scoop install genact
```

![genact cc module](https://media.trmn.sh/cached/bf6151a61a0eb3c3a27ea9fd9636725f02f6f918e697f977f6eb4ad1cbdf7ee2.gif)

![genact memdump module](https://media.trmn.sh/cached/522f1998ff36ae94f10b3ed9f3e7eb4befe693ce3217cf8703a327c268f981e3.gif)

![genact cargo module](https://media.trmn.sh/cached/369298098660ce02357347d2987b76b74901d797c08232dee74b1c8c78e662f8.gif)

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- [zoxide](https://www.trmn.sh/tools/zoxide.md): Smart cd replacement that remembers frequently used directories for quick navigation (Rust, 40.3k stars)

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Canonical: https://www.trmn.sh/tools/genact