---
name: "cpuwalk.bt"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "bpftrace"
version: "0.27.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cpuwalk.bt"
---

# cpuwalk.bt(8)

Sample which CPUs are executing processes.. Uses bpftrace/eBPF.

## NAME

cpuwalk.bt - Sample which CPUs are executing processes.. Uses bpftrace/eBPF.

## SYNOPSIS

**cpuwalk.bt**

## DESCRIPTION

This tool samples CPUs at 99 Hertz, then prints a histogram showing which CPUs were active. 99 Hertz is used to avoid lockstep sampling that would skew results. This tool can help identify if your application's workload is evenly using the CPUs, or if there is an imbalance problem.

Since this uses BPF, only the root user can use this tool.

## REQUIREMENTS

CONFIG\_BPF and bpftrace.

## EXAMPLES

- Sample CPUs and print a summary on Ctrl-C:

  \# **cpuwalk.bt**

## FIELDS

- 1st, 2nd

  The CPU is shown in the first field, after the "\[". Disregard the second field.

- 3rd

  A column showing the number of samples for this CPU.

- 4th

  This is an ASCII histogram representing the count column.

## OVERHEAD

This should be negligible.

## SOURCE

This is from bpftrace.

-

  https://github.com/bpftrace/bpftrace

Also look in the bpftrace distribution for a companion \_examples.txt file containing example usage, output, and commentary for this tool.

## OS

Linux

## STABILITY

Unstable - in development.

## AUTHOR

Brendan Gregg

## SEE ALSO

[mpstat(1)](/mpstat/1.md)