How to Quit htop

Quitting htop is straightforward. Here are the most common methods:

1. Using the Quit Shortcut (F10)

The easiest way to quit htop is by pressing the F10 key. This will immediately exit the tool and return you to your terminal prompt.

2. Using the q Key

Alternatively, you can press the q key to quit htop. This is a quick and convenient method, especially if you’re already familiar with keyboard shortcuts.

3. Using the Mouse (if enabled)

If your htop installation supports mouse input, you can click the Quit button in the bottom-right corner of the interface. This will exit htop and return you to the terminal.

4. Killing htop from Another Terminal

If htop becomes unresponsive (though this is rare), you can kill it from another terminal window:

  1. Open a new terminal window.
  2. Find the htop process using the ps command:
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    ps aux | grep htop
  3. Note the PID (Process ID) of htop.
  4. Kill the process using the kill command:
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    kill <PID>

Additional Tips for Using htop

  1. Customize the Interface (F2):

    • Press F2 to enter the setup menu, where you can customize the display, such as adding or removing columns.

  2. Sort Processes (F6):

    • Use F6 to sort processes by CPU%, MEM%, or other metrics.

  3. Kill Processes (F9):

    • Press F9 to kill a selected process directly from htop.

  4. Tree View (F5):

    • Use F5 to view processes in a hierarchical tree structure.

Why Programmers Should Know How to Quit htop

  • Efficiency: Quickly exiting htop saves time and keeps your workflow smooth.
  • Troubleshooting: Knowing how to kill htop from another terminal can help in rare cases where the tool becomes unresponsive.
  • Mastery: Familiarity with htop’s shortcuts and features enhances your overall system monitoring skills.

Conclusion:
Quitting htop is simple, whether you use the F10 key, the q key, or the mouse. By mastering this basic skill, you can focus on using htop to monitor and optimize your system without getting stuck in the interface. Combine this knowledge with htop’s powerful features, and you’ll have a robust tool for system monitoring at your fingertips.