psutil
psutil is a Python library that provides cross-platform access to system and process monitoring data (CPU, memory, disk, network, sensors). It offers a simple API to retrieve information typically accessed via command-line tools like ps, top, and netstat.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | giampaolo/psutil |
| Owner | giampaolo |
| Primary language | Python |
| License | BSD-3-Clause — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 11.2k |
| Forks | 1.5k |
| Open issues | 392 |
| Latest release | Unknown |
| Last updated | 2026-07-06 |
| Source | https://github.com/giampaolo/psutil |
What psutil is
psutil wraps OS-level system calls to expose process and system metrics across Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD variants, Solaris, and AIX. It provides structured data access for CPU, memory, disk I/O, network statistics, and process lifecycle management without shell spawning.
Get the psutil source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/giampaolo/psutil.gitcd psutil# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Platform-specific behavior: CPU, memory, and network data formats vary across Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD. Test edge cases (e.g., container environments, unprivileged users) on target platforms.
- Permissions: Some operations (e.g., process resource limits, network connections of other users) may require elevated privileges. Document user/role requirements upfront.
- C extensions: Builds require a compiler and Python headers. Pre-built wheels are available via PyPI, but validate availability for your deployment OS/architecture.
- Performance impact: Frequent polling can accumulate CPU overhead. Batch queries and cache results when appropriate, especially in tight loops.
- API stability: Latest release unknown; check changelog for breaking changes if pinning to a specific version across teams.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Real-time High-Frequency Sampling — If you need sub-millisecond precision or extreme throughput (>1000 samples/sec), direct kernel interfaces or specialized profilers may be more efficient.
- Advanced Kernel-Level Tracing — psutil does not expose eBPF, kprobes, or deep kernel tracing. For advanced debugging, forensics, or syscall interception, use specialized tools like Brendan Gregg's perf suite or bpftrace.
- Closed-Source or GPL Restrictions — BSD-3-Clause is permissive, but confirm your legal team approves BSD licensing in your commercial product. If you cannot expose derivative works, review your obligations.
- Minimal Dependencies Constraints — psutil requires C extensions compiled per platform. If your deployment cannot tolerate binary dependencies or compilation during install, evaluate pure-Python alternatives.
License & commercial use
BSD-3-Clause (BSD 3-Clause 'New' or 'Revised' License) is a permissive OSI-approved license. It allows commercial use, modification, and redistribution with conditions: retain copyright notices, list of conditions, and disclaimer. No copyleft or patent grant obligations.
BSD-3-Clause permits commercial use. You may distribute psutil or derivative works in proprietary products if you: (1) retain copyright and license text, (2) include the conditions list, and (3) include a disclaimer of liability. Consult your legal team to confirm this aligns with your IP policy. No explicit patent protection provided by the license.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Strong |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Strong |
| Assessment confidence | High |
No formal security audit data provided. Considerations: (1) psutil reads /proc and system call outputs; sanitize or validate output if parsing untrusted system state. (2) Some operations require elevated privileges; restrict access to psutil binaries/modules accordingly. (3) No disclosed CVE history in provided data; review GitHub Security tab. (4) C extensions increase attack surface vs. pure-Python; keep psutil updated. (5) Information disclosure risk if sensitive process data (command-line args, open files) is exposed to unauthorized users.
Alternatives to consider
py-psutil (fork/variations)
Unmaintained or niche variants. psutil is canonical; prefer the original.
os/subprocess + /proc parsing
Pure Python, no dependencies, but error-prone, platform-specific, and fragile. Suitable only for simple, non-critical use cases.
Specialized tools (psycopg2, pymongo client libs, APM agents)
Often include built-in system metrics. But for general-purpose cross-platform monitoring, psutil is more flexible and decoupled.
Build on psutil with DEV.co software developers
psutil provides production-ready cross-platform access to system and process metrics. Our team can help you design monitoring architectures, handle platform-specific edge cases, and optimize for your deployment environment. Contact us to discuss your infrastructure needs.
Talk to DEV.coRelated on DEV.co
Explore the category and the services that help you build with it.
psutil FAQ
Can I use psutil in a commercial product?
Does psutil work in Docker/Kubernetes?
What Python versions are supported?
Is psutil actively maintained?
Software developers & web developers for hire
Need help beyond evaluating psutil? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and open-source observability integrations — and maintain them long-term.
Ready to integrate system monitoring into your Python application?
psutil provides production-ready cross-platform access to system and process metrics. Our team can help you design monitoring architectures, handle platform-specific edge cases, and optimize for your deployment environment. Contact us to discuss your infrastructure needs.