Timechart: Zoom in on Operating System
Intel developer Arjan van de Ven is working on a new tool named Timechart that records Linux system performance in detailed graphics.
Van de Ven, who also worked on the energy-saving tool Powertop, wants to enhance tools such as Oprofile, LatencyTOP and Perf with Timechart. The new program provides graphical results, reminiscent of Bootchart, in fact going beyond the boot process analysis tool used as its model by tying in all the other processes on the system.
The Timechart analysis tool outputs graphics in SVG format in this release that can put programs such as Inkscape almost literally under the microscope.
Timechart renders graphics using the SVG vector format and the developer recommends using Inkscape to view the output, which in van de Ven's terms makes them "infinitely zoomable." Easily identifiable graphically are, for example, operating sytem details such as the waiting process for the scheduler -- a contribution the Intel developer can make to the current discussion about schedulers on the kernel mailing list.
Timechart also diagnoses the results of power management settings. The program supports multiprocessor machines. Further details are in van de Ven's blog entry, where he interprets some of the graphical results. The source code is currently posted as patches on the linux-kernel mailing list. A downloadable and installable version is not yet available because of changes still to be made to the kernel infrastructure to make Timechart work.
Timechart developer van de Ven still has some misgivings about the program's name and is thus looking for suggestions in his blog.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Blender App Makes it to the Big Screen
The animated film "Flow" won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards held on March 2, 2025 and Blender was a part of it.
-
Linux Mint Retools the Cinnamon App Launcher
The developers of Linux Mint are working on an improved Cinnamon App Launcher with a better, more accessible UI.
-
New Linux Tool for Security Issues
Seal Security is launching a new solution to automate fixing Linux vulnerabilities.
-
Ubuntu 25.04 Coming Soon
Ubuntu 25.04 (Plucky Puffin) has been given an April release date with many notable updates.
-
Gnome Developers Consider Dropping RPM Support
In a move that might shock a lot of users, the Gnome development team has proposed the idea of going straight up Flatpak.
-
openSUSE Tumbleweed Ditches AppArmor for SELinux
If you're an openSUSE Tumbleweed user, you can expect a major change to the distribution.
-
Plasma 6.3 Now Available
Plasma desktop v6.3 has a couple of pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve.
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.