Ps Cheatsheet

Process viewing commands help you see what programs are running on your system. Basic commands show running processes, hierarchy displays reveal parent-child relationships, and resource monitoring tracks CPU/memory usage to identify performance issues.

Process state codes are single-letter indicators showing what a process is currently doing (running, sleeping, stopped, etc.). Visualization tools represent these states graphically, while understanding transitions helps troubleshoot processes that get stuck in unexpected states.

Process selection allows filtering the output to focus on specific processes using criteria like name, PID, user, state, resource usage or start time. This is essential for troubleshooting as it helps isolate relevant processes in systems running hundreds or thousands of processes.

Output formatting controls what information is displayed about processes and how it's arranged. You can select specific columns, sort results, and apply predefined formats to focus on exactly what you need to see when troubleshooting or monitoring system performance.

Process monitoring provides continuous observation of running processes to detect issues like high resource usage, state changes, or unexpected terminations. Real-time updates help identify performance bottlenecks or problematic processes before they cause system-wide problems.

Memory information shows how processes use RAM and virtual memory resources. Understanding these metrics helps identify memory leaks, processes using excessive memory, and potential causes of system slowdowns related to memory constraints.

CPU information reveals how processes utilize processor resources, including time spent executing, priority levels, and processor assignments. These metrics help identify CPU-intensive processes that may need optimization or processes that aren't receiving enough CPU time.

Security information displays the permissions, contexts, and isolation mechanisms associated with processes. This data helps identify potential security risks, verify proper access controls, and ensure processes run with appropriate permissions.

Process control provides mechanisms to manage running processes through signals, priority adjustments, and resource limits. These tools allow administrators to terminate hung processes, adjust scheduling priorities, and ensure critical processes receive appropriate system resources.