what it costs to run
none of these sit in memory waiting. each is a shell or python script that runs and exits, so idle costs nothing. the one piece that stays on is the bluetooth fallback loop.
memory
| piece | idle | while working |
|---|---|---|
| MaidShare | nothing | ~25 MB during a transfer, one python thread, gone the moment it ends |
| Maid Runner | nothing | ~60 MB while the window is open (PyQt6), nothing once it is closed |
| Maid AU | nothing | a script that exits. the peak belongs to your package manager, not the tool |
| Maid BT | ~4 MB | +~29 MB for the call watcher, +~24 MB for phone remote, both off until you ask |
| Maid Helper | nothing | one script per module, exits when the module is done |
idle is what stays in ram between uses; the working figures are one short-lived process each. measured on a normal desktop, so yours will differ a little.
why it stays small
the low overhead is on purpose. each tool is optimized to do one job and get out of the way:
- small scripts, not big apps. no electron and no bundled browser - the heavy engines many desktop apps carry. that is the difference between tens of megabytes and hundreds.
- nothing waits in the background. install all five and still nothing runs until you ask for it.
- the bluetooth helper wakes on system events instead of checking over and over, so it barely touches the cpu.
- nothing is compiled. there is no build step - the installer just copies files into your home directory.
- the same goes for this site: plain html and css, so it opens instantly.
if you are new to linux: none of this is a heavy app that sits in your tray. you run a command, it does its job, and it is gone.