witr

witr

Why is this running? Trace process, port, container or file

0upvotes
Launched July 31, 2026

About witr

Witr is a powerful diagnostic tool designed for developers, system administrators, and DevOps professionals who need to understand the origin and context of running processes on their systems. Unlike traditional commands like ps, top, or lsof that reveal what is running, Witr takes it a step further by explaining why a process is active. By pointing it at a process ID, port, container, or file, users can trace the entire chain—covering systemd, supervisor, shell, or cron—that led to its initiation. Its interactive TUI interface offers an intuitive way to explore processes, ports, containers, and locks, while scripting options allow for automation and integration into monitoring workflows. Available as a single static Go binary compatible across Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD, Witr is both versatile and portable, making it ideal for troubleshooting complex environments and containerized setups. Its ability to provide detailed context and warnings makes it a standout tool for in-depth system analysis.

Screenshots

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Pros

  • Provides detailed process origin tracing beyond traditional commands
  • Supports multiple platforms (Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD) with a single binary
  • Interactive TUI for easy exploration and troubleshooting
  • Flexible scripting options (--short, --json) for automation
  • Open source and lightweight, suitable for integration into existing workflows

Cons

  • Relatively new with limited community adoption and documentation
  • May require familiarity with system internals for full benefit
  • Lacks a graphical user interface, relying on command-line or TUI

Use Cases

1Tracing the source of unexpected processes or services
2Debugging container or systemd startup issues
3Understanding process dependencies in complex environments
4Monitoring process chains in automated or scheduled tasks
5Troubleshooting port or socket conflicts
6Automating process origin checks in CI/CD pipelines

Pricing

Witr is open source and free to use, distributed as a single static binary for multiple operating systems. Its open-source nature makes it accessible without any licensing costs, though support or extended features may depend on community contributions or future updates.

Quick Info

Upvotes0
Comments2
Launched7/31/2026

Topics

LinuxOpen SourceDeveloper ToolsGitHub

Makers

Pranshu Parmar

Pranshu Parmar

Alternatives

ps (Unix/Linux process viewer)
lsof (list open files)
strace (system call tracer)
Sysinternals Process Monitor (Windows)
htop (interactive process viewer)
View all witr alternatives →

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