cpufreqinfo

cpufreqinfo is a command-line utility found on Linux systems that displays detailed information about the CPU frequency scaling governor and available CPU frequencies. It is part of the `cpufrequtils` package. This tool is invaluable for understanding how a system's processor speed is being managed and what settings are currently active.

When executed, cpufreqinfo typically shows the current CPU frequency, the minimum and maximum available frequencies, and the currently active scaling governor. The governor is the policy that determines how the CPU frequency should be adjusted based on system load. Common governors include "performance" (keeps the CPU at its highest frequency), "powersave" (keeps the CPU at its lowest frequency), and "ondemand" or "schedutil" (dynamically adjusts frequency based on current workload).

Additionally, cpufreqinfo can report on supported frequency ranges and transition latencies. This information helps diagnose performance issues or optimize power consumption. Users can leverage this data to manually set governors or frequencies if desired, though this often requires root privileges and careful consideration of system stability and performance. The utility is essential for system administrators and power users seeking fine-grained control over their CPU's behavior.