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.

Feature	strace	Process Monitor
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

strace

Description: 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.

Process Monitor

Description: 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.

Key Features Comparison

strace Features

• 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

Process Monitor Features

• 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

Pros & Cons Analysis

strace

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

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

Pricing Comparison

strace

• Open Source

Process Monitor

• Free
• Open Source