lshw

What lshw is

lshw is a free Linux tool for inspecting a machine’s hardware configuration. It can report memory, firmware, mainboard, CPU version and speed, cache, and bus speed. Reports can be produced in plain text, XML or HTML, and lshw provides a command-line interface. Hardware coverage includes DMI, OpenFirmware device tree, PCI/AGP, ISA PnP, CPUID, IDE/ATA/ATAPI, PCMCIA, USB and SCSI. Support for some areas is limited by architecture or testing.

The project README lists Linux and PA-RISC, Alpha, IA-64, PowerPC, ARM or x86-based machines among its requirements. An optional GTK+ graphical interface can be built separately. The README describes compiling and installing lshw with make. It includes PCI and USB ID lists by default and also checks system directories for those data files. Compression can be built with UPX, and zlib support can be enabled at compile time. The project is licensed under GPL-2.0. For bug reports and feature requests, the project directs users to its ticket page and recommends attaching XML output to bug reports.

Who it suits

lshw suits Linux users who need a detailed hardware inventory in text, XML or HTML form. It is also relevant to users who want a GPL-2.0 licensed tool they can compile and install using make.

Getting started

1. Open the project website and consult the README.
2. Check the listed Linux and machine architecture requirements.
3. Compile and install lshw using make, following the README instructions.
4. Run lshw to produce a hardware report in plain text, XML or HTML.
5. For bug reports or feature requests, use the project ticket page; include XML output in bug reports.

Verdict

Choose lshw if you need a free Linux hardware inventory tool with detailed system information and multiple report formats. It may be less suitable if you need a listed platform beyond Linux or want a graphical interface without building the optional GTK+ component.