Pick your threshold:

Green < 21% system is relatively dormant
21% < Yellow < 79% moderate running zone
Red > 79% (wait for any new commands)

Is there a question here?

Yes, there are MANY system monitoring apps for both CLI and GUI. And applets for the different desktops/panels, all configurable in different ways. Are you asking us to look some up for you?? Either way, you need to (again) provide details and ask a clear question, and show us your own efforts.

The question is in the title, and the effort is a bewildering array of options.

Parallel: weather apps on Android

The one I use displays C/F simultaneously. That eliminates most apps.

If someone knows of or uses a CPU monitor that is color-coded, that is what I seek, otherwise inside hints on how to find one myself.

I don't know the terminology, but that is the function.

..and this means you need to actually LOOK at the different options, and pick which features you want, and narrow down the list, doesn't it?? As in, showing some efforts.
Yes, restating your question does absolutely NOTHING. AGAIN:

• GUI or CLI?
• If GUI, which desktop environemnt?
• Stand alone on desktop?
• Widget/panel app?
• How often to update? Continuous? Once?

You don't need 'inside hints' on how to find one...did you try putting "linux cpu monitor" into Google and pressing ENTER? Over ten million hits; narrow it down by putting "linux cpu monitor gnome panel", or "linux cpu monitor CLI", etc., and look through them. Pick any that you'd like...read about them; try them to see if they do what you want.

htop does some of this already, and is (again) one of the hits you can find with a simple search. Again, read the "Question Guidelines" link and do basic research first:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...or-4175694544/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ne-4175694467/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ce-4175693752/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...es-4175694097/

My question isn't an order to do research for me. If I were using an app I liked I would be happy to share if someone posted they were looking for it.

I don't know if what I'm looking for exists. My pre-question search felt like a needle in a haystack -- alternatives to htop, great.

This would be GUI. I'm looking at X-windows and want a dynamic CPU monitor on the desktop.

XFCE, JWM, OpenBox

Any implementation. I was thinking desktop like Conky, but I'd settle for the panel or a widget.

It has to be continuous for the function, but not so frequent to become glitchy.

Example: I run a browser. Browsers are pretty big and resource hogging, so I'd spend some time in the red before sufficient loading when I could natigate or issue the next command when the CPU drops below a given threshold.

If this doesn't exist it's an opportunity.

A few:
https://billw2.github.io/gkrellm/gkrellm.html
https://cubocore.org/
https://www.deepin.org/en/original/d...ystem-monitor/
https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/SystemMonitor
http://htop.sourceforge.net/
https://github.com/aristocratos/bpytop
https://github.com/cyring/CoreFreq
https://github.com/nicolargo/glances/
https://github.com/orhun/kmon
https://github.com/mate-desktop/mate-system-monitor
https://apps.kde.org/ksysguard/
https://wiki.lxde.org/en/LXTask
https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky
https://collectd.org/
http://dag.wiee.rs/home-made/dstat/
http://sebastien.godard.pagesperso-orange.fr/
https://goodies.xfce.org/projects/ap...e4-taskmanager
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/sebastien.godard/ (iostat,isag,mpstat,pidstat,sadf,sar)

You can write a script with one of the above.

1 members found this post helpful.

Then why don't you tell us what you've looked at already?
You asked for 'inside hints', so now you have a search term; have you actually DONE anything with it??
Then why can't you answer those things, or provide then when asking your question in the first place? We aren't going to guess, and having to ask repeatedly isn't good, as you've been told before. So given what you've posted, have you tried putting "xfce cpu monitor" into Google??? There are MANY plugins and apps you can find with a very simple search...which you still apparently haven't done, since some of the over 224,000 hits are:
https://docs.xfce.org/panel-plugins/...h-plugin/start
https://www.xfce-look.org/browse/cat/425/order/latest
https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/wiki/Configs

...along with Conky, which you already know about.

Yep...an opportunity for YOU to write one.

Nice taking a look at it.

Are you linking resource monitors with the feature integral? I'm just a user, not looking to enhance an app with my code.

If anyone cares about Linux vitality and the userbase, not assuming a technical cohort is a healthy stance.

I don't mind if my posts are ignored if no one knows of anything or is disinterested in the possibility.

I believe a solid implementation would catch on. Green light go!

So what you're actually wanting is someone to write something for you, that fits your specific needs, without you having to modify/change/do anything, is that right?
Again: there are a LOT of already-existing CPU monitoring apps. You were handed the links to several...either pick one, search for more, or write your own. Not sure what else you're looking for.