top linux command

top

top [options]

Provide information (frequently refreshed) about the most CPU-intensive processes currently running. See ps for explanations of the field descriptors.

Options

-b

Run in batch mode; don't accept command-line input. Useful for sending output to another command or to a file.

-c

Show command line in display instead of just command name.

-d delay

Specify delay between refreshes.

-i

Suppress display of idle and zombie processes.

-n num

Update display num times, then exit.

-p pid

Monitor only processes with the specified process ID.

-q

Refresh without any delay. If user is privileged, run with highest priority.

-s

Secure mode. Disable some (dangerous) interactive commands.

-S

Cumulative mode. Print total CPU time of each process, including dead child processes.

Interactive commands

space

Update display immediately.

c

Toggle display of command name or full command line.

f, F

Add fields to display or remove fields from the display.

h

Display help about commands and the status of secure and cumulative modes.

k

Prompt for process ID to kill and signal to send (default is 15) to kill it.

i

Toggle suppression of idle and zombie processes.

l

Toggle display of load average and uptime information.

m

Toggle display of memory information.

n, #

Prompt for number of processes to show. If 0 is entered, show as many as will fit on the screen (default).

o, O

Change order of displayed fields.

q

Exit.

r

Apply renice to a process. Prompt for PID and renice value. Suppressed in secure mode.

s

Change delay between refreshes. Prompt for new delay time, which should be in seconds. Suppressed in secure mode.

t

Toggle display of processes and CPU states information.

A

Sort by age, with newest first.

^L

Redraw screen.

M

Sort tasks by resident memory usage.

N

Sort numerically by process ID.

P

Sort tasks by CPU usage (default).

S

Toggle cumulative mode. (See the -S option.)

T

Sort tasks by time/cumulative time.

W

Write current setup to ~/.toprc. This is the recommended way to write a top configuration file.