CoolerDash 🐧

CoolerDash extends AIO liquid cooler LCD functionality with real-time telemetry and customizable display modes.

I use it successfully myself — maybe it will help you too! ❤️

Features

• Plug-In that extends the LCD functionality of CoolerControl
• Support for additional sensor values (CPU/GPU/Liquid)
• Integrated UI for customizing all settings
• Display modes

Split Mode

Default: Shows CPU and GPU in two compact columns.

       

Dual Mode

Shows CPU and GPU temperatures with bars.

       

Circle Mode

Beta: Alternates between configured sensor slots.

       

Officially listed by CoolerControl as a 2nd Party (Trusted) Plugin.
Special thanks to @codifryed, the founder of CoolerControl.

Join the CoolerDash channel on the official CoolerControl Discord:

System Requirements

• OS: Linux (systemd or openrc)
• CoolerControl: Version >=3.1.0 REQUIRED - must be installed and running Installation Guide
• CPU: x86-64
• LCD: AIO liquid cooler LCD displays (NZXT, etc.)

See the Supported Devices for confirmed working hardware. In principle, all devices supported by CoolerControl/liquidctl should work with CoolerDash. You can submit a device confirmation to help expand the list.

Installation

Arch-based distributions

# Install with an AUR helper
yay -S coolerdash-git
#OR any other AUR helper

Pre-built packages:

Manual installation

# STEP 1: Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/damachine/coolerdash.git
cd coolerdash

# STEP 2: Build and install (auto-detects Linux distribution and installs dependencies)
make install

For manual installations, make sure all required dependencies are installed correctly. Manual installations need to be updated manually.

Configuration

Required: Access Token

1. In CoolerControl, open Access Protection → Access Tokens.
2. Create a token with Write Access enabled (for example, named coolerdash) and copy it.
3. Open Plugins → CoolerDash → Connection, paste it into Access Token, and save.

CoolerDash only reads sensor data and does not change sensor settings. Write Access is required solely to update the LCD through CoolerControl. See the CoolerControl access token documentation.

Optional: Customize other settings in the CoolerDash UI.

Hardware Reports

Expand

Usage

If an AIO LCD is unsupported or only partially working, create a sanitized hardware report:

coolerdash --hardware-report

CoolerDash writes a JSON report and a Markdown summary to your home directory. Nothing is uploaded automatically. Review both files before attaching the JSON and pasting the Markdown summary into a Device Confirmation Issue.

An optional LCD test is available when no other CoolerDash instance is running:

coolerdash --hardware-report --test-lcd

The test requires an explicit TEST confirmation, temporarily displays a test image with geometry guides, records the visible panel shape and centering, and then restores the previous LCD settings. For a new or unknown LCD model, use this form so the report contains enough evidence for a display profile.

Advanced overrides:

coolerdash --hardware-report --output-dir /path/to/reports
coolerdash --hardware-report --test-lcd --device DEVICE_UID
coolerdash --hardware-report /custom/config.json

The report omits access tokens, serial numbers, raw device UIDs, host/user names, IP addresses, and personal paths. It includes sanitized CoolerControl and liquidctl metadata plus matching USB device, interface, and endpoint descriptors. These descriptors identify available HID/bulk paths but do not capture USB traffic or reveal an unknown pixel protocol.

Advanced Usage

Expand

Build Commands

make            # Standard C99 build
make clean      # Clean up
make install    # System installation with dependency auto-detection
make uninstall  # Remove installation (service, binary, files)
make debug      # Debug build with AddressSanitizer
make help       # Show all options

Debugging

# 1. Check CoolerControl status
systemctl status coolercontrold
# or on OpenRC:
rc-service coolercontrold status
curl http://localhost:11987/devices

# 2. Test CoolerDash manually (with clean output)
/usr/libexec/coolerdash/coolerdash

# 3. Test CoolerDash with detailed verbose logging
/usr/libexec/coolerdash/coolerdash --verbose
# or short form:
/usr/libexec/coolerdash/coolerdash -v

# 4. Debug build and installation (recommended)
# Option A — Build and install with ASan in one command (safe):
sudo make debug install

# Option B — Build as your user and install the debug binary manually (recommended):
make clean && make debug
sudo install -Dm755 bin/coolerdash /usr/libexec/coolerdash/coolerdash

# Notes:
#  • Avoid running `make debug` followed by `sudo make install` — the separate `sudo make install` may trigger a rebuild without debug flags and cause linker errors (missing ASan symbols).
#  • If you previously built as root and own files are root-owned, fix ownership before rebuilding:
#    sudo chown -R $USER:$USER build bin

# 5. Check plugin logs (STATUS messages always visible)
journalctl -xeu coolercontrold.service -f
# On OpenRC, inspect your configured system logger for CoolerControl/coolerdash output.

# 6. View recent logs with context
journalctl -u coolercontrold.service -n 50

Troubleshooting

Expand

Installation Issues

If you see errors like "conflicting files" or "manual installation detected" during Arch/AUR makepkg -si, CoolerDash was previously installed manually via make install.

Solution:

sudo make uninstall

Check CoolerControl devices is detected

liquidctl --version
# Expected: liquidctl v1.15.0 (or newer)

liquidctl --list
# Expected: Device #0: NZXT Kraken 2023

curl http://localhost:11987/devices | jq

{
      "name": "NZXT Kraken 2023",
      "type": "Liquidctl",
      "type_index": 1,
      "uid": "8d4becb03bca2a8e8d4213ac376a1094f39d2786f688549ad3b6a591c3affdf9",
      "lc_info": {
        "driver_type": "KrakenZ3",
        "firmware_version": "2.0.0",
        "unknown_asetek": false
      }
}

Documentation

Expand

• Configuration Guide - All configuration options
• Supported Devices - Confirmed working hardware
• Display Modes Guide - Dual, Split, and Circle mode reference
• Developer Guide - Architecture and API integration
• Display Detection - Display shape detection
• CoolerControl API Guide - API module documentation

Community & Support

Support the project: