sys

sys shows the system information PHP can actually observe: OS, host, process user, server time, uptime, load and memory.

DiagnosticsVersion 1.1.3Stable
lil-terminal

Overview

Use sys for a compact view of the runtime host without assuming shell access. Individual subcommands make each value easy to read or reuse.

The system as PHP sees it

On shared hosting PHP may see only part of the operating system. sys reports available runtime information rather than pretending to be a full system monitor. Interpret load, memory and user data in the context of the hosting account and its limits.

Syntax

lil-terminal
sys [os|host|user|time|uptime|load|memory]

Reference

sys

show a compact system summary

sys os [-a]

show operating system, architecture, PHP and SAPI

sys host

show hostname, server address and document root

sys user

show the current process user, identifiers and home directory

sys time [-u] [format]

show local or UTC server time

sys uptime

show system uptime

sys load

show 1, 5 and 15 minute load averages

sys memory

show PHP and system memory information

aliases

uname, hostname, whoami, date, uptime and free

Interactive sandbox preview

Run the prepared examples directly on the page. Their results are prebuilt and shown in the browser; no terminal command is executed on the server.

Read a compact system summary

Install and manage

Install the current compatible version. Choose Base for the complete feature set or Minimum for the reduced package; use upgrade to update a module that is already installed.

Base and Minimum are two packages of the same current module release, not separate command versions.

Base package

Install the complete package with local command reference and every published mode.

install sys
Minimum package

Install the reduced package. Local reference is omitted; help <cmd> -i opens the current server reference.

install sys -m
Exact public version

Install exactly this published version.

install sys -v 1.1.3
Check or update

Ask upgrade to check compatibility and replace the installed block only when needed.

upgrade sys
Remove module

Remove the extension block while leaving the core and unrelated modules intact.

install sys -u

Examples

Examples are copyable command lines, not actions executed by this website. Review paths, permissions and destructive flags before running them on a real project.

Read a compact system summary
sys
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Host    demo-host
OS      Linux 6.18.57
PHP     8.4.24 cli
User    demo-worker
Time    2026-11-01T23:56:59+00:00
Uptime  21m
Load    0.04 0.08 0.04
Memory  1.3 GB / 5.8 GB
Show operating system, architecture, PHP and SAPI
sys os
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
OS      Linux 6.18.57
Family  Linux
Arch    64-bit x86_64
PHP     8.4.24
SAPI    cli

Aliases such as uname, whoami, hostname, date, uptime and free all route to focused views of sys.

Show operating system, architecture, PHP and SAPI
sys os -a
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
OS      Linux 6.18.57
Family  Linux
Arch    64-bit x86_64
PHP     8.4.24
SAPI    cli
Format server time in UTC
sys host
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Host     demo-host
Name     demo.example.test
Address  192.0.2.10
Root     /srv/example.test/public
Show the current process user, identifiers and home directory
sys user
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
User  demo-worker
UID   1001
GID   1001
Home  /srv/example.test
Show local or UTC server time
sys time
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  2026-11-01T23:56:59+00:00
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time -u
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  2026-11-01T23:56:59+00:00
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time "Y-m-d"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  2026-11-01
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time -u "Y-m-d H:i:s"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  2026-11-01 23:56:59
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time "c"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  2026-11-01T23:56:59+00:00
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time "D, d M Y"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  Sun, 01 Nov 2026
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show local or UTC server time
sys time "U"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Time  1793577419
Zone  UTC
Unix  1793577419
Show system uptime
sys uptime
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Uptime  21m
Show 1, 5 and 15 minute load averages
sys load
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
Load  0.04 0.08 0.04
Show PHP and system memory information
sys memory
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
PHP     2 MB / limit -1
Peak    2 MB
System  1.3 GB / 5.8 GB
Show operating system, architecture, PHP and SAPI
sys os -x
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
?
Show hostname, server address and document root
sys host unknown
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
?
Show local or UTC server time
sys time "Y-m-d" "H:i:s"
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
?
Show a compact system summary
sys unknown
Training snapshot — host, time and storage values vary by server
?

Related documentation

What are the server requirements? →Why are large files or outputs limited? →

Current public release

v1.1.32026-08-08

First stable release

Current stable release of sys. sys shows the system information PHP can actually observe: OS, host, process user, server time, uptime, load and memory.

# Version history