Netdata is unique!

Per second data collection and visualization

Per second data collection and visualization is usually only available in dedicated console tools, like top, vmstat, iostat, etc. Netdata brings per second data collection and visualization to all applications, accessible through the web.

You are not convinced per second data collection is important? Click this image for a demo:

Realtime

When netdata runs on modern computers (even on CELERON processors), most chart queries are replied in less than 3 milliseconds! Not seconds, MILLISECONDS! Less than 3 milliseconds for calculating the chart, generating JSON text, compressing it and sending it to your web browser. Timings are logged in netdata's access.log for you to examine.

Netdata is written in plain C and the key system plugins are written in C too. Its speed can only be compared to the native console system administration tools.

You can also stress test your netdata installation by running the script tests/stress.sh found in the distribution. Most modern server hardware can serve more than 300 chart refreshes per second per core. A raspberry pi 2, can serve 300+ chart refreshes per second utilizing all of its 4 cores.

No disk I/O at all

Netdata does not use any disk I/O, apart from its logs and even these can be disabled.

Netdata will use some memory (you size it, check Memory Requirements) and CPU (below 2% of a single core for the daemon, plugins may require more, check Performance), but normally your systems should have plenty of these resources available and spare.

The design goal of NO DISK I/O AT ALL effectively means netdata will not disrupt your applications.

No root access

You don't need to run netdata as root. If started as root, netdata will switch to the netdata user (or any other user given in its configuration or command line argument).

There are a few plugins that in order to collect values need root access. These (and only these) are setuid to root.

Embedded web server

No need to run something else to access netdata. Of course you can use a firewall, or a reverse proxy, to limit access to it. But for most systems, inside your DMZ, just running it will be enough.

Configuration-less

Netdata supports plenty of Configuration. Though, we have done the most to allow netdata auto-detect most if not everything.

Even netdata plugins are designed to support configuration-less operation. So, you just install and run netdata. You will need to configure something only if it cannot be auto-detected.

Visualizes QoS

Netdata visualizes tc QoS classes automatically. If you also use FireQOS, it will also collect interface and class names.

Check this animated GIF (generated with ScreenToGif):