# Conky — Lightweight System Monitor for Linux Desktops

> A highly configurable system monitor that renders CPU, memory, disk, network, and custom data directly onto your Linux desktop or Wayland compositor.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Conky — Lightweight System Monitor for Linux Desktops

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install on Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install conky-all
# Start with default config
conky
# Or with a custom config
conky -c ~/.config/conky/conky.conf
```

## Introduction
Conky is a system monitor that runs as a desktop overlay on Linux, displaying real-time information about CPU usage, memory, disk I/O, network traffic, temperatures, and more. It is extremely lightweight and endlessly customisable through a Lua-based configuration file.

## What Conky Does
- Displays live system metrics (CPU, RAM, swap, disk, network) on the desktop
- Renders custom text, bars, graphs, and gauges using Cairo and Imlib2
- Supports Lua scripting for dynamic content and drawing
- Monitors external data sources via exec commands, IMAP, POP3, RSS, and MPD
- Works on X11 and Wayland (with compositor support)

## Architecture Overview
Conky runs as a single process that periodically samples system data from /proc, /sys, and platform APIs. It renders output to an X11 window (using double-buffered drawing via Cairo or Imlib2) that can be set as a desktop overlay with no window decorations. On Wayland, it renders to a layer-shell surface. Configuration is parsed from a Lua file that defines layout, colours, fonts, and data sources.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via your distro's package manager (apt, dnf, pacman, etc.)
- Configuration lives in `~/.config/conky/conky.conf` (Lua syntax)
- Use `own_window_type = 'desktop'` for seamless desktop integration on X11
- Enable Cairo drawing with `lua_draw_hook_post` for advanced graphical widgets
- Hundreds of community themes are available on GitHub and forums

## Key Features
- Extremely low resource footprint (typically under 10 MB RAM)
- Lua-powered configuration enables complex layouts and logic
- Cairo integration allows anti-aliased graphs, rings, and custom drawings
- Built-in support for weather, MPD, IMAP, and RSS data sources
- Active development with Wayland support and modern compositor integration

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **htop/btop** — terminal-based process monitors; Conky is a persistent desktop overlay
- **Polybar/Waybar** — status bars for window managers; Conky is a freeform desktop widget
- **Neofetch/Fastfetch** — one-shot system info display; Conky is a live, always-on monitor
- **GNOME System Monitor** — GUI application; Conky is a lightweight always-visible widget
- **Rainmeter** — similar concept for Windows; Conky is the Linux equivalent

## FAQ
**Q: Does it work on Wayland?**
A: Yes. Conky supports Wayland through the wlr-layer-shell protocol on compatible compositors like Hyprland and Sway.

**Q: How much CPU does it use?**
A: Typically under 1% with a standard configuration and a 1-second update interval.

**Q: Can it display custom data?**
A: Yes. Use `${exec command}` or Lua scripts to pipe any external data into the display.

**Q: Where can I find themes?**
A: Search GitHub for "conky config" or browse community collections on forums like r/unixporn.

## Sources
- https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky
- https://conky.cc

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