Side by side
Facter vs Fastfetch
Both stand on system information software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2
Facter gathers system information and makes it available to Puppet workflows, with support for built-in, custom, and external facts. Users configuring fact groups or caching need to create or manage the configuration file themselves.
Visit Facter
Free plan Open source AndroidLinuxMac+2
Fastfetch offers customizable terminal displays of system information across several operating systems. Configure shell startup carefully to avoid disrupting non-interactive operations.
Visit FastfetchThe facts
| Facter | Fastfetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | Android, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | puppet.com | fastfetch.dev |
| On system information software | #1 of 34 | #2 of 34 |
Facter: what it does well
- Collects hardware, network, and operating system facts
- Supports custom Ruby and external facts
- Preserves structured and numeric fact values
- Facts can be used in Puppet manifests
What to know first
- Some built-in facts do not apply to every system
- Custom-fact examples require Ruby familiarity
- Facter does not create facter.conf automatically
- Legacy facts require --show-legacy in CLI output
Fastfetch: what it does well
- More than 75 built-in information modules.
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and Android.
- JSONC configuration includes an official schema.
- Available as a free MIT-licensed tool.
What to know first
- Unconditional shell-startup output can disrupt SCP and SFTP.
- The page does not describe dedicated support.
Alternatives to Facter Alternatives to Fastfetch The whole list