Note: cmatrix is primarily a terminal-based visual effect tool (simulating the “Matrix” digital rain), and its built-in system monitoring capabilities are limited. For professional resource monitoring, tools like top, htop, or glances are more suitable. However, you can use cmatrix to view basic real-time metrics with the following steps:
First, ensure your system is updated, then install cmatrix via the default repository or EPEL (if needed):
# Update system and install EPEL (if not already installed)
sudo yum update -y
sudo yum install epel-release -y
# Install cmatrix
sudo yum install cmatrix -y
Execute cmatrix in the terminal to start the animation. By default, it shows:
Press q to exit.
While cmatrix is running, use these keys to toggle additional metrics:
c: Toggle CPU usage chart (shows user/system/idle percentages).m: Toggle memory usage chart (shows RAM allocation).?: View all available keyboard commands (e.g., p for process list, s for system info).To make changes permanent (e.g., enable specific metrics on startup), edit the config file ~/.cmatrixrc (create it if it doesn’t exist):
nano ~/.cmatrixrc
Add/modify these lines to customize:
# Enable CPU, memory, and process monitoring (1=enabled, 0=disabled)
cpu=1
mem=1
procs=1
# Set colors (e.g., red for CPU, cyan for memory)
cpu_color=red
memory_color=cyan
# Adjust update interval (seconds)
delay=1
Save the file and restart cmatrix for changes to take effect.
For one-time customizations, use command-line arguments when starting cmatrix:
# Run in full-screen mode with memory monitoring enabled
cmatrix -f -m
# Disable colors and show raw data
cmatrix -C -r
View all options with cmatrix --help.
cmatrix is not a substitute for professional monitoring tools (e.g., htop for detailed process stats, glances for network/disk usage).By following these steps, you can use cmatrix to add a visual twist to basic system monitoring on CentOS. For comprehensive insights, pair it with dedicated monitoring tools.