strace vs Process Monitor

Struggling to choose between strace and Process Monitor? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

strace is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like debugging, monitoring, linux.

It boasts features such as Traces system calls and signals, Intercepts and prints the system calls executed by a program, Displays the values of parameters passed to and returned from system calls, Can attach to an already running process or start a process and trace it, Can trace child processes spawned by a traced process and pros including Useful for debugging and troubleshooting programs, Helps identify performance bottlenecks, Lightweight and easy to use, Works on most Linux distributions without needing compilation.

On the other hand, Process Monitor is a Os & Utilities product tagged with process, monitor, system, utility.

Its standout features include Real-time monitoring of file system, Registry, process, thread and network activity, Filter and search capabilities to focus on events of interest, Detailed information on event properties, Save log files to analyze events offline, Integration with other Sysinternals tools, and it shines with pros like Powerful troubleshooting capabilities, Helps identify root causes of system issues, Lightweight and low resource usage, Free and open source.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

strace

strace

strace is a diagnostic, debugging and instructional userspace utility for Linux. It is used to monitor and tamper with interactions between processes and the Linux kernel, including system calls, signal deliveries, and changes of process state.

Categories:
debugging monitoring linux

Strace Features

  1. Traces system calls and signals
  2. Intercepts and prints the system calls executed by a program
  3. Displays the values of parameters passed to and returned from system calls
  4. Can attach to an already running process or start a process and trace it
  5. Can trace child processes spawned by a traced process

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Useful for debugging and troubleshooting programs

Helps identify performance bottlenecks

Lightweight and easy to use

Works on most Linux distributions without needing compilation

Cons

Can slow down execution of traced programs significantly

Generates large trace files quickly

Requires understanding of system calls and signals

Does not work on statically linked programs


Process Monitor

Process Monitor

Process Monitor is a advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity. It can help identify application conflicts, malware, and performance issues.

Categories:
process monitor system utility

Process Monitor Features

  1. Real-time monitoring of file system, Registry, process, thread and network activity
  2. Filter and search capabilities to focus on events of interest
  3. Detailed information on event properties
  4. Save log files to analyze events offline
  5. Integration with other Sysinternals tools

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Powerful troubleshooting capabilities

Helps identify root causes of system issues

Lightweight and low resource usage

Free and open source

Cons

Steep learning curve

Can generate large log files

Requires technical expertise to utilize fully