<p>Is it possible for me to see the amount of processor usage (% of maximum) that the current, python, app is using?</p>

<p>Scenario: 
My host will allow me to run my app as long as it does not consume more then X% of the CPU power, so I would like it to 'keep an eye on itself' and slowdown.  So how can I know how much CPU the app is using?</p>

<p>Target platform is *nix, however I would like to do it on a Win host also.</p>

The
```
resource
```
module provides
```
getrusage
```
which can give you the information you need, at least for Unix-like platforms.
Note that CPU usage as a percentage is always measured over a time interval. Essentially, it is the amount of time taken by your program doing something divided by the interval time.
For example, if your application takes 2 seconds of CPU time over a 5 second period, then it can be said to be using 40% of the CPU.
Note that this calculation, as simple as it seems, can get tricky when using a multiprocessor system. If your application uses 7 seconds of CPU time in 5 seconds of wall clock time on a two-processor system, do you say it is uses 140% or 70% CPU?
Update: As
gimel
mentions, the
```
os.times
```
function also provides this information in a platform-independent way. The above calculation notes still apply, of course.