ps linux command

ps

ps [options]

Report on active processes. Note that you do not need to include a - before options. In options, list arguments should either be separated by commas or be put in double quotes. In comparing the amount of output produced, note that e prints more than a and l prints more than f.

Options

pids

Include only specified processes, which are given in a comma-delimited list.

a

List all processes.

c

Consult task_struct for command name.

e

Include environment.

f

'Forest' family tree format.

h

Suppress header.

j

Jobs format.

l

Produce a long listing.

m

Memory format.

n

Print user IDs and WCHAN numerically.

r

Exclude processes that are not running.

s

Signal format.

--sortdelimiter[+|-]key[,[+|-]key[,]]

Similar to O, but designed to protect multiletter sort keys. See the later list, 'Sort keys'.

ttty

Display only processes running on tty.

u

Include username and start time.

v

vm format.

w

Wide format. Don't truncate long lines.

x

Include processes without an associated terminal.

O[+|-]key[,[+|-]key[,]]

Sort processes. (See the following list, 'Sort keys.')

Return key to default direction.

Reverse default direction on key.

S

Include child processes' CPU time and page faults.

Sort keys

c, cmd

Name of executable.

C, cmdline

Whole command line.

f, flags

Flags.

g, pgrp

Group ID of process.

G, tpgid

Group ID of associated tty.

j, cutime

Cumulative user time.

J, cstime

Cumulative system time.

k, utime

User time.

K, stime

System time.

m, min_flt

Number of minor page faults.

M, maj_flt

Amount of major page faults.

n, cmin_flt

Total minor page faults.

N, cmaj_flt

Total major page faults.

o, session

Session ID.

p, pid

Process ID.

P, ppid

Parent's process ID.

r, rss

Resident set size.

R, resident

Resident pages.

s, size

Kilobytes of memory used.

S, share

Number of shared pages.

t, tty

tty

T, start_time

Process's start time.

U, uid

User ID.

u, user

User's name.

v, vsize

Bytes of VM used.

y, priority

Kernel's scheduling priority.

Fields

PRI

Process's scheduling priority. A higher number indicates lower priority.

NI

Process's nice value. A higher number indicates less CPU time.

SIZE

Size of virtual image.

RSS

Resident set size (amount of physical memory), in kilobytes.

WCHAN

Kernel function in which process resides.

STAT

Status:

R

Runnable

T

Stopped

D

Asleep and not interruptible

S

Asleep

Z

Zombie

W

No resident pages (second field)

N

Positive nice value (third field)

TT

Associated tty.

PAGEIN

Number of major page faults.

TRS

Size of resident text.

SWAP

Amount of swap used, in kilobytes.

SHARE

Shared memory.