w

What is system-information?

The system-information command provides a concise yet detailed overview of your Linux system’s hardware and software configuration. Unlike commands like uname or lsb_release which provide only snippets of information, system-information paints a complete picture, everything from CPU and memory details to disk space, network interfaces, and kernel version. This makes it an asset for system administrators, developers, and anyone needing a quick snapshot of their system’s specifications.

Installing system-information

Before diving into examples, you’ll need to install the system-information package. The exact command depends on your distribution:

• Debian/Ubuntu:

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install system-information

• Fedora/CentOS/RHEL:

  sudo dnf install system-information

• Arch Linux:

  sudo pacman -S system-information

Other distributions will have similar package managers; consult your distribution’s documentation for the correct installation method.

Harnessing the Power of system-information-w

The -w flag (or --wide) is highly recommended, as it outputs the information in a more readable, wider format, especially beneficial on systems with larger displays. Let’s look at some examples:

1. Basic System Information:

The simplest usage provides an overview:

system-information -w

This will generate a detailed report including:

• System: Operating system details (kernel version, distribution, etc.)
• CPU: Processor information (model, cores, frequency, etc.)
• Memory: RAM details (total, used, free)
• Disks: Hard drive and SSD information (size, type, partitions)
• Network: Network interfaces (IP addresses, MAC addresses)
• Graphics: Graphics card information

2. Focusing on Specific Information:

While the default output is detailed, system-information can be tailored to focus on specific aspects. This is particularly useful when scripting or automating system checks. For example, to get only the CPU information:

system-information -w --cpu

Similarly, you can use --memory, --disks, --network, --graphics, and other options to target specific system components. Consult the command’s manual page (man system-information) for a complete list of available options.

3. Redirecting Output to a File:

For archiving or further processing, redirect the output to a file:

system-information -w > system_info.txt

This will save the complete system information report to a file named system_info.txt. This is useful for tracking system changes over time or for creating automated reports.

4. Combining Options:

You can combine multiple options to generate highly customized reports. For example, to get a wide output showing only CPU and memory information:

system-information -w --cpu --memory

5. Using JSON Output:

For easier parsing by scripts, you can use the --json flag:

system-information --json

This will generate a JSON formatted output, making it simpler to extract specific data points programmatically.

These examples illustrate the flexibility and utility of the system-information command in Linux. Its ability to provide a quick and detailed overview of your system makes it a powerful tool for both everyday system administration and complex scripting tasks.