Cosmotop by Bjia56 is a multiplatform system monitoring tool built primarily with C++ and C. It utilizes Cosmopolitan Libc to achieve broad compatibility across various operating systems. Distributed as pre-built executables, it also supports Homebrew for macOS. When activated as an MCP server, Cosmotop gathers and exposes system metrics, making it suitable for system administrators, developers, and users needing detailed resource insights. It integrates with AI clients like Claude and ChatGPT, providing system information for modern LLM-supported IDEs.

What does Cosmotop connect to?

Cosmotop functions as an MCP server when launched with the "--mcp" flag. In this mode, it establishes connections to the local system to collect and expose various system metrics. It supports the STDIO transport protocol for its MCP server operations. This design allows it to interact with compatible AI clients, providing system data for integration into different environments. The program's core function is to act as a data source for system state.

Core features and tools

As an MCP server, Cosmotop exposes several callable tools for system monitoring. These include get_process_info, get_cpu_info, get_memory_info, get_network_info, get_disk_info, and get_system_info. Additionally, it offers get_gpu_info, get_npu_info, and get_container_info, which become available only when the corresponding hardware or container engines are detected on the system. These tools allow for granular insight into different system components.

Who is it for?

Cosmotop targets system administrators, developers, and users who require detailed insights into system resource usage. It is designed for those who need to monitor CPU, memory, disk, network, and process activity, or integrate system data into AI-supported development environments. Its specialized monitoring for GPU, NPU, and container environments also serves specific technical needs. Skip this if you do not require a system monitoring tool that functions as an MCP server.

How to get started

No credentials are required. The setup primarily involves enabling the MCP server by running Cosmotop with the "--mcp" command-line flag, utilizing the STDIO transport protocol.

Use cases

• Detailed monitoring of system resources such as CPU, memory, disk, network, and processes.
• Integration of system information into modern LLM/AI-supported IDEs.
• Specialized monitoring of GPU, NPU, and container environments.

Cosmotop provides a capable solution for multiplatform system monitoring, particularly for those needing to integrate system metrics with AI clients. Its design as an MCP server allows for flexible data exposure. The tool is suitable for administrators and developers seeking detailed resource visibility and AI integration.