What tool can be used for monitoring server performance on Linux systems?

Top is a well-known command-line utility used for monitoring server performance on Linux systems. It provides real-time information on various aspects of system performance, including CPU and memory usage, running processes, and system load averages. The output updates dynamically, allowing administrators to analyze performance trends over time and identify resource-hungry processes that may be affecting the server's efficiency.

While htop is also a performance monitoring tool that offers a more user-friendly, interactive interface than top, the original question specifies a more basic tool. Therefore, top is the more fundamental option, providing essential insights into server performance.

Netstat serves a different purpose; it is primarily used for network statistics and connections rather than real-time server performance monitoring. Similarly, traceroute is used for diagnosing network paths and delays, focusing on the route packets take to their destination instead of server performance metrics. Thus, top is the primary choice for directly monitoring server performance in this scenario.