The latest articles on DEV Community by TheZupZup (@thezupzup). https://dev.to/thezupzup https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3869895%2Fcd64752f-49cd-4af9-973b-26c311208c88.png https://dev.to/thezupzup en TheZupZup Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:47:45 +0000 https://dev.to/thezupzup/building-silentguard-a-lightweight-linux-network-monitor-tui-gui-1poe https://dev.to/thezupzup/building-silentguard-a-lightweight-linux-network-monitor-tui-gui-1poe <p>I built SilentGuard because I wanted a simple way to see what applications are actually doing on my Linux system.</p> <p>Most network tools are either too complex, too heavy, or not very user-friendly.</p> <p>So I decided to build something lightweight, clear, and interactive.</p> <h2> What is SilentGuard? </h2> <p>SilentGuard is a network monitoring tool for Linux with:</p> <ul> <li>A fast and lightweight TUI (terminal interface)</li> <li>An optional GUI</li> <li>Real-time connection tracking</li> <li>Trust classification (Known / Unknown / Local)</li> <li>Block / unblock system with persistent rules</li> </ul> <p>The goal is to keep it simple, efficient, and useful for everyday monitoring.</p> <h2> Why I built it </h2> <p>I wanted to answer simple questions like:</p> <ul> <li>What apps are connecting to the internet?</li> <li>Are there unknown or suspicious connections?</li> <li>Can I block something quickly without complex tools?</li> </ul> <p>SilentGuard focuses on clarity and control without overcomplicating things.</p> <h2> Current state </h2> <p>The project is still in early development, but it's evolving quickly.</p> <p>Recent improvements include:</p> <ul> <li>Persistent blocklist system</li> <li>Improved TUI clarity and actions</li> <li>Performance optimizations</li> <li>Better error handling</li> <li>Unit tests added</li> </ul> <h2> Example (GUI) </h2> <p><a href="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fqk63ubpnn31s9s9qiakn.png" class="article-body-image-wrapper"><img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2Fqk63ubpnn31s9s9qiakn.png" alt=" " width="800" height="537"></a></p> <h2> Repository </h2> <p>Main developement happens on Github.<br> GitHub: <a href="https://github.com/TheZupZup/SilentGuard" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://github.com/TheZupZup/SilentGuard</a></p> <p>Mirror<br> Codeberg.org: <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheZupZup/SilentGuard" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://codeberg.org/TheZupZup/SilentGuard</a></p> <h2> Contributions </h2> <p>I'm still relatively new to this space, but I'm very motivated and actively learning.</p> <p>I'm open to all kinds of feedback, ideas, and contributions. Even small suggestions are appreciated.</p> <p>I aim to keep the project transparent, simple, and collaborative. If something can be improved, I'm always willing to listen and adapt.</p> <p>Some ideas to work on:</p> <ul> <li>Improve TUI navigation</li> <li>Add bandwidth tracking per IP/app</li> <li>Enhance trust classification</li> <li>Export logs</li> </ul> <p>Feel free to open an issue or a pull request.</p> <h2> Goal </h2> <p>Keep SilentGuard lightweight, transparent, and actually useful.</p> <p>Thanks for reading.</p> <p>I'm happy to learn from others and grow the project together.</p> linux monitoring networking opensource