On a modern Linux system, numerous processes often run simultaneously. Several applications might be running at once, and each application opens files, writes data, reads data, closes files, and so on. All this activity stresses the CPU, which can lead to bottlenecks that can slow down the entire system.

System administrators use tools such as top, ps, vmstat, strace, and lsof to find and fix these bottlenecks. The output of the tools often serves as input for other tools, which often leads to complex and confusing situations.

Sysdig [1] cleans up some of that confusion. The sysdig developers grouped the commands they used most frequently and equipped the tool with a programmable interface. Sysdig understands a large number of options that control specific properties. (You can try the sysdig --help command for a list of options.)

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