perf Alternatives

perf is described as 'Performance analyzing tool in Linux, available from Linux kernel version 2.6.31 under tools/perf, and is frequently updated and enhanced. It is capable of lightweight profiling, supports hardware performance counters, tracepoints, software performance counters (e.g' and is an app in the development category. There are nine alternatives to perf for a variety of platforms, including Linux, BSD, FreeBSD, Mac and KDE Plasma apps. The best perf alternative is lurk, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like perf are DTrace, strace, ftrace and Kcachegrind.

perf
  3
  • Free • Open Source
  • ...

perf is a performance analyzing tool in Linux, available from Linux kernel version 2.6.31 under tools/perf, and is...

More about perf
More about perf
perf alternatives page was last updated May 14, 2025
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  1. lurk

     1 like
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    Lurk allows the user to trace system calls of a process or of a command. In contrast to strace, lurk focuses on a simple, yet pretty, user experience while implementing the most important use cases of strace.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    lurk screenshot 1

    lurk Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Rust

    lurk VS perf

     

    • lurk is the most popular Linux alternative to perf.

    • lurk is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to perf.

    • lurk is Free and Open Sourceperf is also Free and Open Source
  2. DTrace icon

    DTrace

     4 likes
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    DTrace is a performance analysis and troubleshooting tool that is included by default with various operating systems, including Solaris, Mac OS X and FreeBSD. A Linux port is in development.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Solaris
    • FreeBSD

    DTrace Features

    1.  Debugging

    DTrace VS perf

     

    • DTrace is the most popular Mac alternative to perf.

    • DTrace is Free and Open Sourceperf is also Free and Open Source

  4. strace

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

    15 strace alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    strace screenshot 1

    strace Features

    1.  Debugging

    strace VS perf

     

  5. ftrace

     2 likes
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    Ftrace is an internal tracer designed to find what is going on inside the kernel.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux

    ftrace Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Debugging

    ftrace VS perf

     
  6. Kcachegrind icon

    Kcachegrind

     6 likes
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    KCachegrind is a profile data visualization tool, used to determine the most time consuming parts in the execution of a program.

    7 Kcachegrind alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • KDE
    Kcachegrind screenshot 1

    Kcachegrind Features

    1.  Callgraph

    Kcachegrind VS perf

     

  7. ltrace

     2 likes
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    ltrace intercepts and records dynamic library calls which are called by an executed process and the signals received by that process. It can also intercept and print the system calls executed by the program. Used for debugging.

    14 ltrace alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD
    ltrace screenshot 1

    ltrace Features

    1.  Debugging

    ltrace VS perf

     

  9. ktrace

     1 like
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    The ktrace utility enables kernel trace logging for the specified processes. Kernel trace data is logged to the file ktrace.out. The kernel operations that are traced include system calls, namei translations, signal processing, and I/O.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • BSD
    • FreeBSD

    ktrace Features

    1.  Debugging

    ktrace VS perf

     
  10. SystemTap icon

    SystemTap

     1 like
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    SystemTap provides free software (GPL) infrastructure to simplify the gathering of information about the running Linux system. This assists diagnosis of a performance or functional problem. SystemTap eliminates the need for the developer to go through the tedious and disruptive...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    SystemTap screenshot 1

    SystemTap Features

    1.  Debugging

    SystemTap VS perf

     
  11. ktap icon

    ktap

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    ktap is a script-based dynamic tracing tool for Linux. It uses a scripting language and lets users trace the Linux kernel dynamically. ktap is designed to give operational insights with interoperability that allows users to tune, troubleshoot and extend the kernel and...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    ktap Features

    1.  Debugging

    ktap VS perf

     
9 of 9 perf alternatives