Stats is a free and open-source macOS menu bar application that provides a comprehensive overview of system performance. It displays real-time information on CPU usage, memory, network activity, disk usage, battery health, and fan speeds, all within a customizable and compact menu bar interface. Users can tailor the displayed modules and their appearance to suit their needs, choosing from various graph styles and refresh rates. Stats aims to be a lightweight yet powerful alternative to larger system monitoring tools.
The GitHub repository, stats by user exelban, introduces a macOS application that provides real-time system monitoring directly within the menu bar. This application offers a compact and readily accessible overview of vital system statistics, eliminating the need to open larger, more resource-intensive applications like Activity Monitor. The displayed information is highly configurable, allowing users to customize which metrics are visible and how they are presented.
Among the available metrics are CPU usage, broken down by individual core utilization and overall system load; memory usage, including details on used, wired, compressed, and cached memory; disk activity, displaying read and write speeds for connected drives; network activity, showing upload and download speeds for active network interfaces; battery status, providing information on current charge level and time remaining; and sensor data, encompassing temperatures and fan speeds for various system components.
stats offers a high degree of visual customization. Users can select from various pre-built themes or create their own, tailoring the appearance of the menu bar display to match their preferences or system aesthetics. The level of detail shown can also be adjusted, allowing users to choose between concise summaries and more comprehensive breakdowns of system resource usage. This flexibility makes stats adaptable to different user needs and workflows.
The application is built using Swift and leverages native macOS APIs, potentially leading to efficient performance and seamless integration with the operating system. The project is open-source and hosted on GitHub, enabling community contributions and further development. The readily available source code allows for transparency and potential customization beyond the provided configuration options. While offering a comprehensive suite of features out-of-the-box, the open-source nature suggests the possibility of extending its functionality further based on user needs and community input.
Summary of Comments ( 5 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42881342
Hacker News users generally praised Stats' minimalist design and useful information display in the menu bar. Some suggested improvements, including customizable refresh rates, more detailed CPU information (like per-core usage), and GPU temperature monitoring for M1 Macs. Others questioned the need for another system monitor given existing options, with some pointing to iStat Menus as a more mature alternative. The developer responded to several comments, acknowledging the suggestions and clarifying current limitations and future plans. Some users appreciated the open-source nature of the project and the developer's responsiveness. There was also a minor discussion around the chosen license (GPLv3).
The Hacker News post for "Stats – macOS system monitor in your menu bar" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42881342) has a moderate number of comments discussing various aspects of the application and system monitoring tools in general.
Several commenters praise Stats' clean design and comprehensive feature set, contrasting it favorably to other menu bar monitors. One user appreciates its ability to display network speeds directly in the menu bar, a feature they find particularly useful. Others highlight the detailed graphs and customization options available within the app.
A recurring theme in the comments is the discussion of alternative system monitoring tools. Some users mention iStat Menus as a long-time favorite, while others suggest BitBar and MenuMeters as viable free alternatives. The comparison often revolves around the balance between features, performance impact, and cost, with some users expressing concerns about Stats' potential resource usage compared to simpler solutions.
The developer of Stats actively participates in the comment section, addressing user questions and feedback. They clarify licensing details, explain the rationale behind certain design choices, and acknowledge areas for potential improvement, like optimizing CPU usage. This direct engagement with the community is seen positively by several commenters.
A few users raise concerns about the privacy implications of running third-party monitoring tools, particularly those that require elevated permissions. This sparks a brief discussion about the trade-offs between functionality and privacy.
One commenter points out the challenge of achieving a truly lightweight system monitor, suggesting that the desire for comprehensive data inevitably leads to increased resource consumption. This comment highlights the inherent tension between feature richness and performance optimization in this type of software.
Finally, there are some specific technical queries and suggestions related to features like GPU monitoring and network interface selection. These comments provide valuable feedback for the developer and contribute to a discussion about the specific needs of users in different contexts.