Managing resources in Linux is one of the most important tasks for system administrators. Correctly managing CPU usage is one of the most critical parts of resource management. Linux has many different built-in tools for managing resources, but checking CPU usage for a specific process is not always intuitive.
In this blog post, we will look at different methods for checking CPU usage for a specific process in Linux.
Video Tutorial:
Method 1: Using the top command
One of the most popular commands used in Linux for monitoring system resources is the top command. The top command provides real-time information about system resources, including CPU usage.
To use the top command to check CPU usage for a specific process, you need to follow these steps:
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type the following command: top
3. Press the Enter key.
4. You will see a list of running processes.
5. Press the Shift + P keys.
6. You will see a sorted list of running processes by their CPU usage.
7. Find the process you want to check.
8. Take note of its PID (Process ID).
9. Press Q to quit the top command.
To see CPU usage for a specific process, you need to use the following command:
top -p PID
Replace PID with the actual Process ID of the process you want to monitor.
The output will display CPU usage and other details about the process in real-time. You can exit the top command by pressing the Q key.
Method 2: Using the ps command
Another way to check CPU usage for a specific process is by using the ps command. The ps command is used to provide information about running processes on a Linux system.
To use the ps command to check CPU usage for a specific process, follow these steps:
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type the following command: ps -p PID -o %cpu,%mem,cmd
3. Replace PID with the actual Process ID of the process you want to monitor.
4. Press the Enter key.
This command will display CPU usage, memory usage, and the command used to start the process. You can check the CPU usage for multiple processes by separating them with commas.
Method 3: Using the top and awk commands
If you’re comfortable using the command line, you can use the top command in combination with the awk command to get more specific information about CPU usage.
To use this method, follow these steps:
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type the following command: top -b -n 1 | awk ‘/^PID/ {print $0} /^PID/ || /^[0-9]/ {if($9>=10.0) print $0}’
3. Press the Enter key.
This command will display the CPU usage for all processes with a CPU usage greater than or equal to 10%.
FAQs:
Q. What is the PID?
A. The PID (Process ID) is a unique identifier assigned to each process running on a Linux system. It is used by the operating system to manage and track running processes.
Q. Can I check CPU usage for multiple processes at once?
A. Yes, you can use the ps command to check CPU usage for multiple processes at once. Simply separate the Process IDs with commas.
Q. Do I need to be a root user to check CPU usage for a process?
A. No, you can check CPU usage for a process as a regular user. However, you may not have access to all processes running on the system.
Q. Is there a graphical tool to check CPU usage for a process?
A. Yes, many graphical tools are available for monitoring system resources in Linux, including CPU usage for a process. Some popular tools include System Monitor, Conky, and Glances.
