Linux Process Management Commands What are they, what are they for, and which are the best I can use?

The process management commands in a Linux operating system are the most useful tools that you must know in this environment so that you can carry out your task successfully and without wasting time.

For this you will need to know what this type of Linux command is about. You can find this information, in detail, in the next paragraphs of this article.

What’s more, We will explain in a simple way the 30 most used commands that you must know in order for you to become an expert in Linux programming and handling. Check out.

What are process management commands in Linux and what are they for?

When you talk about process management commands in a Linux environment what you are referring to is the tools offered by the operating system to know, through a list, all the processes and threads that are executed at a certain time. Additionally, these commands are used to assign an order and a priority to a task within the set of processes.

This implies that they allow you to terminate, modify the priority and run any type of process in the background. By last, thanks to these process management functions you can see a report about the memory use and CPU capacity of the computer. This is done based on the parameters established through the processes. It also helps to know the execution times of the tasks that you want to carry out and delete them, if they cause problems.

The main Linux process management commands you can use

The most important commands that you can run on a Linux console to manage processes are the following:

• &: This operator will allow you to send to the background those processes that are estimated to last a long time in their execution.
• bg: This command is short for background and is used to send any application to the background to run without complicating the current operation. You must bear in mind that, if you take an application to the background and this process uses the console to interact with the user, the process stops until you put it back in the foreground.
• fg n: This tool will be used when you want to bring a certain process to the fore. In this example it is called n.
• fg: You will be able to use this Linux tool when you want to know a program that is in the background to give it a number when the jobs command is executed. It can also be used using the Ctrl + Z key combination.
• free: You will use this tool when you want to know the memory capacity you have in your computer. If you use it with the argument -m the result that it will show you will be expressed in megabytes.
• htop: Fulfills the same function of the top command, but much easier to use. You must bear in mind that not all Linux distros have this tool, so you will have to install it manually.
• iostat: This command that you can use in a Linux console will show you the CPU utilization, according to the programs you have running at a specific moment.
• iotop: You will find, when you use this tool, a table with a complete list of the I / O use of the processes you have. It also includes the threads that are owned by the parents.
• jobs: This command is used to see what kind of tasks are running in the background. It is ideal when the & operator is not used at the end of the command, since with this we can make the control of the console return once the process has finished.
• kill pid: You can close a process identifying with the integer that is used in the linux kernel. This way you will be sure to finish with the execution of the correct process.
• kill: It is one of the most used, since it is useful to kill a certain process that is being carried out in the terminal.
• killall proc: With this command you will make all the processes called proc.
• killall: Unlike kill, with this tool you will kill all the processes that are running at any given time.
• lsof: It is a useful tool that informs the user what type of executable a certain file uses.
• man htop: To perfectly handle the command htop You will need to read their manual to understand the configuration and other aspects of the criteria used to order the list that it shows as a result. You can do this by typing in the console man htop.
• nice: This command will have to be used when you want to carry out a process with a certain priority.
• nohup: You will be able to send a certain process to the background and prevent it from stopping when the terminal is used.
• pkill: This tool will be useful when you want to kill the parent process of a certain application.
• ps aux: If what you are looking for is to know all the system processes you will have to use this Linux tool.
• ps axjf: With this command you can find the path through a hierarchical tree of a specific process.
• ps: When you need to see the processes that are running at a certain time you will have to use this Linux function. As it is a general Unix command, it can be used with all the accepted parameters, so it is advisable to read the manual.
• pstree: You will be able to use this function in a Linux console when you want to see the process tree that you have active.
• renice: It is complementary to nice, as it can set a priority. But if you want to change that order you should use renice.
• sigterm: If for any reason, an application or a service causes a problem in development, you can issue a process completion signal using this Linux command.
• sysctl: When you need to configure the directory /proc/sys/ Linux kernel you will have to use this tool on the console.
• systemctl: This function is used in Linux to control the services you have within the operating system. That is, to know the main PID in a fast way.
• systemd: This tool appears in the Linux environment to replace SysVinit. It is used to administer and control management services within the operating system.
• time: It is ideal to use this function when developing programs, since it allows you to measure the execution time of the processes.
• top: With this command you will be able to see all the processes that are being carried out in the console, but it will show you a limited list so to continue you will have to press a key to keep it running.
• vmstat: You will have to use this function that Linux offers you when you want to know the status of the processes, paging and also the memory you have available. If you use it with the parameter -a it will return a list with all the active and inactive processes that you have.