A command-line system information tool
Command Line – neofetch
© Photo by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash
Neofetch displays system information about your hardware, operating sytem, and desktop settings in visually appealing output perfect for system screenshots.
Linux has never lacked applications that display system information, but perhaps the most comprehensive tool is neofetch [1], a Bash script that displays the current information about hardware, operating systems, and desktop settings. The information is presented by default in a somewhat haphazard order, which can be compensated for by a high degree of customization. Little wonder, then, that in recent years neofetch has found its way into most distributions. Not only is it a useful summary of system information, supporting a wide array of hardware and software, but, as its GitHub page notes, its visually appealing output is also useful in screenshots of your system.
For many, the output of the bare command may be enough (Figure 1). On the left of Figure 1 is an ASCII rendition of the installed distribution's logo. On the right are 15 system statistics. Which statistics are shown, the details of each statistic, and the general layout are all customizable either from the command line or from .config/neofetch/config.conf in the user's home directory (Figure 2). At the bottom, a line of colored blocks does nothing except to mark the end of the display.
Display Options
Neofetch has dozens of options, most of which are self-explanatory. They cover a bewildering array of statistics, covering every aspect of a system (Table 1). After each option, you can specify whether its display is off or on. Alternatively, you can use --disable OPTION to turn options off in a space-separated list. In addition, some options have multiple settings. Some stats display on separate lines, while others simply add a few characters to a default line.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
There's a New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle is a Linux AI assistant that can work with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.
-
Linux Hits an Important Milestone
If you pay attention to the news in the Linux-sphere, you've probably heard that the open source operating system recently crashed through a ceiling no one thought possible.
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.
-
Wayland 1.24 Released with Fixes and New Features
Wayland continues to move forward, while X11 slowly vanishes into the shadows, and the latest release includes plenty of improvements.
-
Bugs Found in sudo
Two critical flaws allow users to gain access to root privileges.
-
Fedora Continues 32-Bit Support
In a move that should come as a relief to some portions of the Linux community, Fedora will continue supporting 32-bit architecture.