laptop-detect is a command-line tool that attempts to determine if the script is running on a laptop or desktop computer. It is typically used as part of a larger script or program that may need to perform different actions depending on the type of computer it is running on. The laptop-detect tool works by checking for the presence of certain hardware components that are typically found in laptops, such as a battery, a touchpad, and a lid sensor. If these components are detected, the tool will return an output indicating that it is running on a laptop. If these components are not detected, the tool will return an output indicating that it is running on a desktop computer.
It is important to note that laptop-detect is not 100% accurate and it might not be able to detect all the possible cases. Also, some systems like laptops with removed battery, or all-in-one desktops with built-in batteries, may not be correctly identified by the tool. This tool can be useful for scripting or automating certain tasks related to computer management, such as adjusting power settings, adjusting display settings, or installing specific software. It can also be used to change the behavior of a script or program depending on the type of computer it is running on.
If you encounter the below error while running the command laptop-detect:
laptop-detect: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install laptop-detect |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install laptop-detect |
| Arch Linux | pacman -S laptop-detect |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install laptop-detect |
| Raspbian | apt-get install laptop-detect |
laptop-detect Command Examples
1. Return an exit status of 0 if the current device is likely a laptop, else returns 1:
# laptop-detect
2. Print the type of device that the current system is detected as:
# laptop-detect --verbose
3. Display the version:
# laptop-detect --version