Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

lsof VS SystemExplorer

Compare lsof VS SystemExplorer and see what are their differences

lsof logo lsof

Lsof lists open files for running UNIX processes. It is a

SystemExplorer logo SystemExplorer

Homepage of System Explorer. Freeware Tool for displaying and managing system internals
  • lsof Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-16
  • SystemExplorer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-11

lsof features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

SystemExplorer features and specs

  • Detailed System Information
    SystemExplorer provides in-depth information about system performance, processes, services, and network connections, giving users comprehensive insight into their system's operations.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Free to Use
    SystemExplorer is available for free, offering robust functionality without any licensing fees or subscription costs.
  • Portable Version
    A portable version of SystemExplorer is available, allowing users to run the application without installation, ideal for use on multiple devices or for quick troubleshooting.
  • Lightweight
    The software is lightweight and doesn't consume many system resources, making it suitable for older or low-performance systems.

Possible disadvantages of SystemExplorer

  • Limited Support
    SystemExplorer does not provide extensive user support or detailed documentation, which may be a drawback for users needing help or having specific technical issues.
  • No Mac or Linux Versions
    The software is only available for Windows, meaning users of other operating systems cannot benefit from its features.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    Some users have reported occasional stability issues and crashes, which can hamper the reliability of the tool during critical tasks.
  • Updates and Development
    The pace of updates and new feature developments may not be as rapid or frequent as some other maintenance tools, potentially making it lag behind in addressing emerging security or compatibility issues.
  • Complexity for Casual Users
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the detailed and extensive information provided might be overwhelming for casual users who do not need such depth in system monitoring.

Analysis of lsof

Overall verdict

  • lsof (List Open Files) is a mature, battle-tested Unix/Linux utility that reliably reveals which files, sockets, and resources are opened by processes, making it an indispensable diagnostic tool for system administrators and developers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides comprehensive visibility into open files, network sockets, pipes, and devices tied to running processes
  • Extremely useful for troubleshooting 'device busy' errors, port conflicts, and locating processes holding onto deleted files
  • Highly portable across many Unix-like systems including FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, and Solaris
  • Long history of stable, well-maintained releases with extensive documentation and community support
  • Powerful filtering options let you query by user, process, port, file, or network connection

Recommended for

  • System administrators diagnosing resource and file-locking issues
  • Developers debugging network connections and socket usage
  • Security professionals investigating suspicious process activity and open network ports
  • Anyone needing to identify which process is using a specific file, directory, or port before unmounting or killing

Analysis of SystemExplorer

Overall verdict

  • System Explorer is a reliable and effective tool for system monitoring. Its extensive features and ease of use make it a good choice for users looking for a free, powerful, and flexible system management tool.

Why this product is good

  • System Explorer is generally considered good because it offers comprehensive tools for monitoring system activity and managing system resources. It provides detailed information about system processes, performance tracking, and has a user-friendly interface. Moreover, it includes features like a security scan, system snapshots, and detailed reports which are helpful for both inexperienced and advanced users.

Recommended for

    System Explorer is recommended for users who need detailed insights into their system's processes and performance, such as IT professionals, system administrators, and power users who want to keep their system optimized and secure. It's also suitable for less experienced users who are looking to diagnose system issues with the help of an easy-to-understand interface.

lsof videos

8 Basic lsof Commands Every Sysadmin Needs to Know

More videos:

  • Review - HakTip - Network monitoring in Linux with lsof

SystemExplorer videos

No SystemExplorer videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to lsof and SystemExplorer)
Command Line Tools
16 16%
84% 84
Monitoring Tools
16 16%
84% 84
Performance Monitoring
18 18%
82% 82
Accounting
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using lsof and SystemExplorer. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SystemExplorer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

lsof mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of lsof yet. Tracking of lsof recommendations started around Mar 2021.

SystemExplorer mentions (5)

  • Lag spikes
    After you launch the game open the Task manager and right click MW5.exe and set the priority to high. It will only be set this way until you close the game, so you have to do it every time you open it. The easiest way is to use an app like System Explorer that will do it for you when you open the game. There is another way to do it with reg edits but I don't know how to do that. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Audio crackling when I change buffer size
    To make it permanent, you may use free software System Explorer which allow you to save these settings. Https://systemexplorer.net/. Source: over 4 years ago
  • my cpu is running at 70% but when i go into the task manager it jumps back down to 3-5%
    Download System Explorer from: http://systemexplorer.net/. When you install it make sure you uncheck "run at startup". Source: about 5 years ago
  • TIP: Find what process the plot is using with Process Explorer!
    Even easier: just use this http://systemexplorer.net/. Source: about 5 years ago
  • AWESOME WINDOWS TOOLS
    System Explorer - An enhanced task manager with support for monitoring and modifying system processes, start-up programs, system services, drivers, shell extensions, and more. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing lsof and SystemExplorer, you can also consider the following products

htop - htop - an interactive process viewer for Unix. This is htop, an interactive process viewer for Unix systems. It is a text-mode application (for console or X terminals) and requires ncurses. Latest release: htop 2.

Process Explorer - The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'lโ€ฆ

Sysdig - Sysdig is an open source, system-level exploration that capture system state and activity from a running Linux instance, then save, filter and analyze.

vtop - vtop is a graphical command-line tool that uses unicode braille to chart CPU and memory usage.

glances system monitoring - Glances is a cross-platform system monitoring tool written in Python. Written in Python, Glances will run on almost any plaftorm : GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, OS X and Windows.

GrandTotal - Create invoices and estimates on your Mac