How to Check Disk Free Space on Linux
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In Linux, you can efficiently manage your system by checking and monitoring system processes. This helps you inspect which processes are consuming more CPU and memory.
Furthermore, checking processes in Linux allows you for effective system management, issue resolution, security enhancement, and performance optimization.
This post aims to explore various methods to check the running process in Linux.
Read also Understanding the DNS Process.
How to Check Running Processes in Linux?
The following three (3) different methods can be utilized to view and monitor the running processes in Linux-based systems.
Method 1: Check the Running Process via “ps”
You can utilize various “ps” commands to view the processes in your Linux system.
List All Processes
The following is the commonly used command to show a detailed list of all processes running on your Linux system, including user, CPU usage, and process status:
ps aux
After executing the command, a detailed list of processes, as shown above, will be displayed in your terminal window. This information can be helpful to inspect and analyze the status of your Linux system.
Display Top processes by CPU Usage
You can sort the top processes based on CPU usage with the command given below:
ps aux --sort=-%cpu | head -n 11
The command will return a detailed list of the top 10 processes based on the highest CPU usage on your Linux system.
List All Processes in Tree View
To show processes in a hierarchical tree view, you can use the following command:
pstree
You can better understand the relationships between parent and child processes in Linux through a hierarchical tree view.
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Method 2: Check Running Processes with “top”
In Linux systems, running processes can also be checked using the “top” command.
Display All Processes
To monitor real-time processes, run command in the Linux terminal:
top
The top command displays an interactive interface with a summary, including total tasks, running and sleeping processes, etc. Additionally, it continuously updates a list of processes, system statistics, and resource usage on your Linux system.
Method 3: Check Running Processes Using “System Monitor (GUI)”
Use the graphical interface (System Monitor) to inspect the processes on the Linux.
Step 1: Open “System Monitor”
Navigate your Linux Applications and open the “System Monitor”, a graphical interface:
System Monitor
View My Processes
Upon launching the System Monitor, you can view your system processes on the screen:
The “System Monitor” displays a list of processes categorized under headings such as Process Name, User, CPU usage, and more.
Step 2: View Active Processes
To view a list of active processes, click on the “Processes” tab:
The “Active Processes” will show only the running processes of your Linux system.
You can use the graphical interface, “System Monitor”, to sort processes based on your requirements.
Conclusion
There are various methods to check the running processes on the Linux system. The ps and top are command-line tools, while the System Monitor is a GUI tool for monitoring processes on your Linux system. We have practically implemented these tool to check the running process in Linux-based system.
Mastering the process of checking running tasks in Linux is vital for effective system oversight, especially when rent a VPS. This proficiency ensures optimal resource allocation and seamless operation within your hosted environment.
FAQ
How can I view the list of running processes in Linux?
You can use the ps command to view the list of running processes. The basic command is ps aux or ps -ef.
What information does the “ps” command provide?
The ps command provides information such as process ID (PID), terminal associated with the process, CPU and memory usage, command used to start the process, and more.
How can I filter the process list to show only a specific user’s processes?
Use the ps command with the -u option followed by the username. For example, ps -u username.
Can I see a tree-like structure of processes to understand their hierarchy?
Yes, you can use the pstree command to display processes in a tree-like structure, showing parent-child relationships.