{"repo":"pranshuparmar/witr","free":true,"listed":false,"github":"https://github.com/pranshuparmar/witr","clone":"git clone https://github.com/pranshuparmar/witr.git","description":"Why is this running? Trace any process, port, container, or file back to what started it - CLI + TUI. ","language":"Go","stars":21482,"topics":["cli","containers","devops","docker","freebsd","go","golang","incident-response","kubernetes","linux","macos","monitoring","observability","process-management","sysadmin","systemd","terminal","troubleshooting","tui","windows"],"license":"Apache-2.0","category":"dev_tool","readme_excerpt":"
\n\n# witr\n\n### Why is this running?\nTrace any process, port, container, or file back to the exact chain that started it —
\none command, machine-readable JSON, or an [interactive TUI](#3-interactive-mode-tui).\n\n[![Latest Release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/pranshuparmar/witr?label=Latest%20Release&style=flat-square)](https://github.com/pranshuparmar/witr/releases/latest) [![Platforms](https://img.shields.io/badge/platforms-linux%20%7C%20macos%20%7C%20windows%20%7C%20freebsd-blue?style=flat-square)](#8-platform-support)
[![Package Managers](https://img.shields.io/badge/Package%20Managers-brew%20|%20conda%20|%20aur%20|%20winget%20|%20npm%20|%20ports%20|%20...%20-blue?style=flat-square)](https://repology.org/project/witr/versions)\n\n\"pranshuparmar/witr\n\"witr\n\n### 🎮 [**Try witr in your browser →**](https://pranshuparmar.github.io/witr/)\n*Investigate a simulated Linux box — a guided tutorial and free-play sandbox, no install required.*\n\n\"witr's\n\n
\n\n---\n\n
\n\n[**Purpose**](#1-purpose) • [**Installation**](#2-installation) • [**TUI**](#3-interactive-mode-tui) • [**Flags**](#4-flags--options) • [**Core Concept**](#5-core-concept) • [**Examples**](#6-example-outputs)\n
\n[**Output Behavior**](#7-output-behavior) • [**Platforms**](#8-platform-support) • [**Success Criteria**](#9-success-criteria) • [**Sponsors**](#10-sponsors)\n\n
\n\n---\n\n## 1. Purpose\n\n**witr** exists to answer a single question:\n\n> **Why is this running?**\n\nWhen something is running on a system, whether it is a process, a service, or something bound to a port, there is always a cause. That cause is often indirect, non-obvious, or spread across multiple layers such as supervisors, containers, services, or shells.\n\nExisting tools (`ps`, `top`, `lsof`, `ss`, `systemctl`, `docker ps`) expose state and metadata. They show _what_ is running, but leave the user to infer _why_ by manually correlating outputs across tools.\n\n**witr** makes that causality explicit.\n\nIt explains **where a running thing came from**, **how it was started**, and **what chain of systems is responsible for it existing right now**, in a single, human-readable output or an **interactive TUI dashboard**.\n\n> 📖 Curious how witr came to be? [Read the story](https://medium.com/@pranshu.parmar/witr-why-is-this-running-a9a97cbedd18) or browse the [Hacker News discussion](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46392910).\n\n---\n\n## 2. Installation\n\nwitr is distributed as a single static binary for Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Windows.\n\nwitr is also independently packaged and maintained across multiple operating systems and ecosystems. An up-to-date overview of packaging status is available on [Repology](https://repology.org/project/witr/versions). Please note that community packages may lag GitHub releases due to independent review and validation.\n\n> [!TIP]\n> If you use a package manager (Homebrew, Conda, Winget, etc.), we recommend installing via that for easier updates. Otherwise, the install script is the quickest way to get started.\n\n---\n\n### 2.1 Quick Install\n\n#### Unix (Linux, macOS & FreeBSD)\n\n```bash\ncurl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pranshuparmar/witr/main/install.sh | bash\n```\n\n
\nScript Details\n\nThe script will:\n- Detect your operating system (`linux`, `darwin` or `freebsd`)\n- Detect your CPU architecture (`amd64` or `arm64`)\n- Download the latest released binary and man page\n- Install it to `/usr/local/bin/witr`\n- Install the man page to `/usr/local/share/man/man1/witr.1`\n- Pass INSTALL_PREFIX to override default install path\n\n
\n\n#### Windows (PowerShell)\n\n```powershell\nirm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pranshuparmar/witr/main/install.ps1 | iex\n```\n\n
\nScript Details\n\nThe script will:\n- Download the latest release (zip) and verify checksum.\n- Extract `witr.exe` to `%LocalAppData%\\witr\\bin`.\n- Add the bin directory to your User `PATH`.\n\n
\n\n---\n\n### 2.2 Package Managers\n\n
\nAPT (Debian, Ubuntu & Derivatives) \"Debian\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** from the official Debian and Ubuntu repositories (Ubuntu 26.04+, Debian sid and later), as well as derivative distributions like Kali Linux, Devuan, and Raspbian:\n\n```bash\nsudo apt install witr\n```\n\n> Note: The apt-shipped version may lag the latest GitHub release. For the newest features, use the install script or another installation method.\n
\n\n
\nHomebrew (macOS & Linux) \"Homebrew\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** using [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) on macOS or Linux:\n\n```bash\nbrew install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nMacPorts (macOS) \"MacPorts\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** using [MacPorts](https://www.macports.org/) on macOS:\n\n```bash\nsudo port install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nConda (macOS, Linux & Windows) \"Conda\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** using [conda](https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/), [mamba](https://mamba.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), or [pixi](https://pixi.prefix.dev/latest/) on macOS, Linux, and Windows:\n\n```bash\nconda install -c conda-forge witr\n# alternatively using mamba\nmamba install -c conda-forge witr\n# alternatively using pixi\npixi global install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nArch Linux (AUR) \"AUR\"\n
\n\n\nOn Arch Linux and derivatives, install from the [AUR package](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/witr-bin):\n\n```bash\nyay -S witr-bin\n# alternatively using paru\nparu -S witr-bin\n# or use your preferred AUR helper\n```\n
\n\n
\nWinget (Windows) \"Winget\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** via [winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/):\n\n```powershell\nwinget install -e --id PranshuParmar.witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nNPM (Cross-platform) \"NPM\"\n
\n\nYou can install **witr** using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@pranshuparmar/witr):\n\n```bash\nnpm install -g @pranshuparmar/witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nFreeBSD Ports \"FreeBSD\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** on FreeBSD from the [FreshPorts port](https://www.freshports.org/sysutils/witr/):\n\n```bash\npkg install witr\n# or\npkg install sysutils/witr\n```\n\nOr build from Ports:\n\n```bash\ncd /usr/ports/sysutils/witr/\nmake install clean\n```\n
\n\n
\nChocolatey (Windows) \"Chocolatey\"\n\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** using [Chocolatey](https://community.chocolatey.org):\n\n```powershell\nchoco install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nScoop (Windows) \"Scoop\"\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** using [Scoop](https://scoop.sh):\n\n```powershell\nscoop install main/witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nAOSC OS \"AOSC\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** from the [AOSC OS repository](https://packages.aosc.io/packages/witr):\n\n```bash\noma install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nGNU Guix \"GNU\n
\n\n\nYou can install **witr** from the [GNU Guix repository](https://packages.guix.gnu.org/packages/witr/):\n\n```bash\nguix install witr\n```\n
\n\n
\nUniget (Linux)