# Fastfetch — Ultra-Fast, Highly Customizable System Information Tool

> **Brand:** Fastfetch Documentation & Resource Center  
> **Canonical Web URL:** [https://fastfetch.dev/](https://fastfetch.dev/)  
> **Upstream Repository:** [https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch](https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch)  
> **Current Version:** `2.68.1`  
> **Primary Language:** Pure C (C99 / C11)  
> **License:** MIT Permissive License  
> **Target OS:** Linux, macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), Windows 8.1 / 10 / 11 (Native Win32), FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Android (Termux)

Fastfetch is an ultra-fast, highly customizable system information tool written mainly in C, engineered as a modern, high-performance replacement for legacy fetch scripts like Neofetch. It queries operating system attributes, hardware specifications, and desktop environments in sub-millisecond execution times (1–5 ms) and renders them cleanly alongside customizable ASCII distro art or high-resolution images.

---

## Table of Contents
1. [Core Features & Architecture](#core-features--architecture)
2. [Themes, Presets & Dotfile Showcase](#themes-presets--dotfile-showcase)
3. [Installation & Package Manager Matrix](#installation--package-manager-matrix)
4. [Tool Comparison: Fastfetch vs Neofetch, Hyfetch & Macchina](#tool-comparison-fastfetch-vs-neofetch-hyfetch--macchina)
5. [Neofetch to Fastfetch Migration Guide](#neofetch-to-fastfetch-migration-guide)
6. [Universal Shell Startup Integration Hub](#universal-shell-startup-integration-hub)
7. [CLI Command Cheatsheet](#cli-command-cheatsheet)
8. [Production JSONC Dotfile Recipes](#production-jsonc-dotfile-recipes)
9. [Frequently Asked Questions (PAA Answers)](#frequently-asked-questions-paa-answers)
10. [Trust & Project Resources](#trust--project-resources)

---

## Core Features & Architecture

- **Sub-Millisecond Multithreaded Execution:** Fastfetch gathers hardware sensors, disk mounts, memory counters, and OS statistics concurrently across worker threads, returning in 1–5 ms (over 50× faster than bash-based scripts that fork hundreds of subprocesses).
- **Zero Mandatory Runtime Dependencies:** Compiles into a standalone binary. Peripheral libraries (e.g. Vulkan, OpenCL, Wayland, X11, D-Bus, SQLite3) are loaded on-demand via `dlopen()` on Unix or `LoadLibrary()` on Windows, guaranteeing the tool never fails to launch if optional shared libraries are missing.
- **75+ Built-In Diagnostic Modules:** Comprehensive detection for CPU (microarchitecture, cores, frequency, thermal sensors), GPU (discrete and integrated, VRAM, drivers), memory, swap, NVMe/SATA disks, battery health and cycle count, Bluetooth, WiFi, audio codecs, displays (resolution, refresh rate, HDR, scaling factor), terminal themes, and processes.
- **Native Cross-Platform Portability:** Runs natively on Windows (direct Win32, Registry, and WMI queries without WSL, MSYS2, or Cygwin), macOS (native `sysctl`, IOKit, and CoreGraphics), Linux (direct `sysfs`, `/proc`, and D-Bus calls), FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Haiku OS, and Android via Termux.
- **Rich Graphics & Logo Engine:** Over 300 built-in ASCII distro logos, custom logo file support, and native high-resolution image rendering using Kitty graphics protocol, Sixel, iTerm2 inline images, and Chafa Unicode half-block fallback.
- **JSONC Configuration with Official Schema:** Strict JSONC (`config.jsonc`) configuration format validated against upstream JSON Schema for instant auto-completion and linting in VS Code, Neovim, and Helix.

---

## Themes, Presets & Dotfile Showcase

Fastfetch ships with official built-in presets that can be loaded instantly with `fastfetch -c <preset-name>`:

### 1. Catppuccin Mocha
- **Characteristics:** Soothing pastel palette, rounded borders, colored glyph icons, compact hardware telemetry layout.
- **Command:** `fastfetch -c catppuccin` or copy the recipe into `~/.config/fastfetch/config.jsonc`.

### 2. Nord Minimalist
- **Characteristics:** Arctic blue and muted slate aesthetic, single-column alignment, clean uppercase module keys, zero ASCII logo overhead.
- **Command:** `fastfetch -c nord` or `fastfetch --logo none -s title:os:kernel:cpu:gpu:memory`.

### 3. Tokyo Night Rice
- **Characteristics:** Vibrant cyberpunk neons (electric magenta, deep cyan, violet), compact ASCII distro emblem, custom CPU/GPU format strings.
- **Command:** `fastfetch -c tokyonight` or custom JSONC format mapping.

### 4. Neofetch Classic Emulation
- **Characteristics:** Pixel-perfect drop-in reproduction of legacy Neofetch: classic two-column layout, traditional OS logo, memory bar, and terminal color palette test blocks.
- **Command:** `fastfetch -c neofetch`

---

## Installation & Package Manager Matrix

Fastfetch is packaged in the official repositories of all major operating systems and package managers.

### Linux
```bash
# Ubuntu & Debian
# For Ubuntu 20.04 - 24.04:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:zhangsongcui3371/fastfetch
sudo apt update && sudo apt install fastfetch
# For Ubuntu 24.10+ & Debian 13 (Trixie)+:
sudo apt install fastfetch

# Arch Linux & Manjaro
sudo pacman -S fastfetch

# Fedora & RHEL / CentOS Stream (EPEL)
sudo dnf install fastfetch

# openSUSE (Tumbleweed & Leap)
sudo zypper install fastfetch

# Alpine Linux (v3.19+)
apk add fastfetch

# Void Linux
xbps-install -S fastfetch

# Gentoo Linux
emerge --ask app-misc/fastfetch

# NixOS
nix-env -iA nixpkgs.fastfetch
```

### macOS
```bash
# Homebrew (Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4 & Intel)
brew install fastfetch

# MacPorts
sudo port install fastfetch
```

### Windows (Native Win32)
```bash
# Windows Package Manager (winget) — Recommended
winget install fastfetch

# Scoop Package Manager
scoop install fastfetch

# Chocolatey
choco install fastfetch

# Manual Standalone Portable ZIP:
# Download fastfetch-windows-amd64.zip from GitHub Releases,
# extract fastfetch.exe, and add to your system PATH.
```

### BSD & Mobile
```bash
# FreeBSD
pkg install fastfetch

# OpenBSD
pkg_add fastfetch

# Android (Termux)
pkg install fastfetch
```

---

## Tool Comparison: Fastfetch vs Neofetch, Hyfetch & Macchina

| Feature / Benchmark | Fastfetch | Neofetch (Archived) | Hyfetch | Macchina |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Execution Time (Startup)** | **1.5 – 4.2 ms** | 120 – 1,200 ms | 150 – 1,300 ms | 4.0 – 12.0 ms |
| **Implementation Language** | **Pure C (C99/C11)** | Bash 3.2+ | Python + Bash | Rust |
| **Maintenance Status** | **Active (Weekly Releases)** | Archived (Apr 2024) | Active | Active |
| **Windows Native Support** | **Yes (Direct Win32/WMI)** | No (Cygwin/MSYS only) | No (Cygwin required) | Yes (Native) |
| **Process Forking Model** | **Multithreaded in-memory** | Spawns 50–200 forks | Spawns 50–200 forks | Multithreaded |
| **Built-in Modules** | **75+ Modules** | ~35 Modules | ~35 Modules | ~20 Modules |
| **Config Format** | **JSONC + JSON Schema** | Bash script syntax | Bash script syntax | TOML |
| **Image Protocols** | **Kitty, Sixel, iTerm2, Chafa** | w3m-img, chafa | w3m-img, chafa | Sixels (basic) |
| **Machine JSON Output** | **`fastfetch --format json`** | None (Scraping needed) | None | `--output json` |

---

## Neofetch to Fastfetch Migration Guide

Migrating from Neofetch takes under 30 seconds. Fastfetch includes native flag drop-ins:

### CLI Flag Translation
| Neofetch Command | Fastfetch Equivalent | Notes |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `neofetch` | `fastfetch -c neofetch` | Drop-in reproduction of legacy Neofetch visual output |
| `neofetch --off` | `fastfetch --logo none` | Disables ASCII logo output |
| `neofetch --stdout` | `fastfetch --pipe false` | Clean plain-text system metrics without terminal ANSI color codes |
| `neofetch --ascii_distro arch` | `fastfetch --logo arch` | Renders a specific distro's ASCII logo |
| `neofetch --config path` | `fastfetch -c path` | Loads custom configuration file |
| `neofetch --image /path/to/img` | `fastfetch --logo /path/to/img` | Renders custom graphical image logo |

### Shell Alias Drop-In
To seamlessly replace Neofetch in your interactive environment, add to your shell rc (`~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc`):
```bash
alias neofetch="fastfetch -c neofetch"
```

---

## Universal Shell Startup Integration Hub

Fastfetch is engineered to run on terminal launch without noticeable lag. However, running a fetch command unconditionally in non-interactive subshells breaks tools like `scp`, `sftp`, and automated Git hooks. Always use these interactive guards:

### 1. Bash (`~/.bashrc`)
```bash
# Guard against non-interactive sessions (crucial for scp/sftp/rsync)
if [[ $- == *i* ]]; then
    fastfetch
fi
```

### 2. Zsh (`~/.zshrc`)
```zsh
# Execute Fastfetch only in interactive terminal sessions
[[ -o interactive ]] && fastfetch
```

### 3. Fish (`~/.config/fish/config.fish`)
```fish
# Check interactive status before invoking Fastfetch
if status is-interactive
    fastfetch
end
```

### 4. PowerShell (`$PROFILE`)
Add to `notepad $PROFILE` (typically `Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1`):
```powershell
# Only run if output is not being redirected into a pipe
if ([Console]::IsOutputRedirected -eq $false) {
    fastfetch
}
```

### 5. Nushell (`config.nu` / `env.nu`)
```nu
# Execute Fastfetch on interactive terminal launch
if (term size).columns > 0 {
    fastfetch
}
```

---

## CLI Command Cheatsheet

Here are the 8 most essential everyday Fastfetch commands:

```bash
# 1. Default Fetch
fastfetch

# 2. Emulate Classic Neofetch
fastfetch -c neofetch

# 3. Specific Metric Query (OS, Kernel, CPU, GPU, Memory)
fastfetch -s os:kernel:cpu:gpu:memory --logo none

# 4. Generate Default Configuration Dotfile
fastfetch --gen-config

# 5. Output Machine-Readable JSON for Scripts & AI Agents
fastfetch --format json

# 6. List All 300+ Supported Built-in ASCII Logos
fastfetch --list-logos

# 7. List All 75+ Available Hardware & System Modules
fastfetch --list-modules

# 8. Render Custom Image Logo Using Chafa Unicode Half-Blocks
fastfetch --logo /path/to/wallpaper.png --logo-type chafa
```

---

## Production JSONC Dotfile Recipes

### Recipe 1: Minimalist 5-Line Server Rice (`minimal.jsonc`)
Ideal for headless servers, SSH greeting, and CI containers:
```jsonc
{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch/raw/dev/doc/json_schema.json",
  "logo": {
    "type": "none"
  },
  "display": {
    "separator": " -> ",
    "color": {
      "keys": "cyan"
    }
  },
  "modules": [
    "title",
    "os",
    "kernel",
    "uptime",
    "cpu",
    "memory",
    "disk"
  ]
}
```

### Recipe 2: Nord Arctic Rice (`nord.jsonc`)
```jsonc
{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch/raw/dev/doc/json_schema.json",
  "display": {
    "separator": "  ",
    "color": {
      "keys": "#88c0d0",
      "title": "#81a1c1"
    },
    "key": {
      "type": "icon"
    }
  },
  "modules": [
    "title",
    {
      "type": "os",
      "key": "OS"
    },
    {
      "type": "kernel",
      "key": "VER"
    },
    {
      "type": "uptime",
      "key": "UP"
    },
    {
      "type": "packages",
      "key": "PKG"
    },
    {
      "type": "cpu",
      "key": "CPU"
    },
    {
      "type": "gpu",
      "key": "GPU"
    },
    {
      "type": "memory",
      "key": "RAM"
    },
    "break",
    "colors"
  ]
}
```

### Recipe 3: Tokyo Night Rice (`tokyonight.jsonc`)
```jsonc
{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch/raw/dev/doc/json_schema.json",
  "display": {
    "separator": " ❯ ",
    "color": {
      "keys": "#7aa2f7",
      "title": "#bb9af7"
    }
  },
  "modules": [
    "title",
    "separator",
    "os",
    "host",
    "kernel",
    "uptime",
    "packages",
    "shell",
    "display",
    "de",
    "wm",
    "terminal",
    "cpu",
    "gpu",
    "memory",
    "break",
    "colors"
  ]
}
```

### Recipe 4: Catppuccin Mocha Rice (`catppuccin.jsonc`)
```jsonc
{
  "$schema": "https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch/raw/dev/doc/json_schema.json",
  "display": {
    "separator": ": ",
    "color": {
      "keys": "#cba6f7",
      "title": "#89b4fa"
    },
    "percent": {
      "type": 3
    }
  },
  "modules": [
    "title",
    "separator",
    "os",
    "host",
    "kernel",
    "uptime",
    "shell",
    "display",
    "cpu",
    "gpu",
    "memory",
    "swap",
    "disk",
    "battery",
    "break",
    "colors"
  ]
}
```

---

## Frequently Asked Questions (PAA Answers)

### What is Fastfetch used for?
Fastfetch is used by software developers, Linux ricing enthusiasts, and systems administrators for three primary use cases:
1. **Instant terminal greetings** upon opening a shell session (`~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, or PowerShell `$PROFILE`) without adding startup latency.
2. **Rapid hardware auditing & system diagnostics** in terminal environments without needing heavy GUI tools.
3. **Desktop ricing screenshots** shared on communities like r/unixporn. Because it executes in 1–5 milliseconds, it delivers complete hardware metrics without noticeable terminal startup lag.

### Is Fastfetch better than neofetch?
Yes, Fastfetch is substantially better than Neofetch across performance, maintenance, feature set, and platform portability. Neofetch was officially archived in April 2024 and suffered from sluggish Bash execution (100–1,200 ms) due to spawning hundreds of sub-processes. Fastfetch is written in pure C, runs multithreaded in under 5 milliseconds (over 50&times; faster), natively supports Windows without Cygwin, offers over 75 hardware modules, supports modern image protocols (Kitty, Sixel, iTerm2), and uses JSONC configuration with schema validation.

### How to install Fastfetch in Linux?
Fastfetch is available in the official repositories of almost all major Linux distributions:
- **Ubuntu/Debian:** `sudo add-apt-repository ppa:zhangsongcui3371/fastfetch && sudo apt update && sudo apt install fastfetch` (or `sudo apt install fastfetch` on Debian 13+ / Ubuntu 24.10+).
- **Arch Linux:** `sudo pacman -S fastfetch`.
- **Fedora:** `sudo dnf install fastfetch`.
- **openSUSE:** `sudo zypper install fastfetch`.
- **Alpine:** `apk add fastfetch`.
- **Any distro with Homebrew:** `brew install fastfetch`.

### Does Fastfetch work on Windows?
Yes, Fastfetch works natively on Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 without requiring WSL, MSYS2, or Cygwin. It queries the Windows Win32 APIs, WMI, and registry directly. You can install it on Windows by running `winget install fastfetch` in PowerShell or Command Prompt, `scoop install fastfetch` using Scoop, `choco install fastfetch` using Chocolatey, or by downloading the standalone pre-compiled zip package from GitHub Releases.

### How do I use Fastfetch themes, presets, and dotfiles?
Fastfetch includes built-in presets that you can load immediately by passing the `-c` flag: `fastfetch -c neofetch` emulates Neofetch, `fastfetch -c all` displays all modules, and other presets include `catppuccin`, `nord`, and `ci`. To create your own permanent custom dotfile, run `fastfetch --gen-config` to generate `~/.config/fastfetch/config.jsonc` (on Linux/macOS) or `%USERPROFILE%\.config\fastfetch\config.jsonc` (on Windows). You can then edit the generated JSONC file and add `"logo"`, `"display"`, and custom `"modules"` arrays with full VS Code autocomplete support via the official JSON schema.

### How do I display custom logos or images in Fastfetch?
To display custom logos or high-resolution images:
- For custom ASCII files: run `fastfetch --logo /path/to/logo.txt`.
- For built-in distros: run `fastfetch --logo arch` (or any of the 300+ distros listed in `fastfetch --list-logos`).
- For image rendering in Kitty: run `fastfetch --logo /path/to/image.png --logo-type kitty`.
- For Sixel-compatible terminals (Foot, WezTerm): run `fastfetch --logo /path/to/image.png --logo-type sixel`.
- For universal Unicode half-blocks: run `fastfetch --logo /path/to/image.png --logo-type chafa`.

---

## Trust & Project Resources

- **Home Portal:** [https://fastfetch.dev/](https://fastfetch.dev/)
- **Technical Documentation Manual:** [https://fastfetch.dev/doc/](https://fastfetch.dev/doc/) (Markdown: [doc/index.md](https://fastfetch.dev/doc/index.md))
- **About the Project & Architecture:** [https://fastfetch.dev/about](https://fastfetch.dev/about) (Markdown: [about.md](https://fastfetch.dev/about.md))
- **Contact Channels & Security Reporting:** [https://fastfetch.dev/contact](https://fastfetch.dev/contact) (Markdown: [contact.md](https://fastfetch.dev/contact.md))
- **Privacy & Telemetry Guarantee:** [https://fastfetch.dev/privacy](https://fastfetch.dev/privacy) (Markdown: [privacy.md](https://fastfetch.dev/privacy.md))
- **Machine-Readable LLM Index:** [https://fastfetch.dev/llms.txt](https://fastfetch.dev/llms.txt)
- **AI Agent Integration Guide:** [https://fastfetch.dev/AGENTS.md](https://fastfetch.dev/AGENTS.md)
- **Sitemap Index:** [https://fastfetch.dev/sitemap.xml](https://fastfetch.dev/sitemap.xml)
- **Upstream Fastfetch Repository:** [https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch](https://github.com/fastfetch-cli/fastfetch)