htop Command in Linux

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Overview

The htop command in Linux is an advanced, interactive process viewer. Unlike the 'top' command, htop provides a full list of processes running, instead of the top resource-consuming processes. This article will delve into the utility of the htop command in Linux, helping you understand its syntax, options, and practical use-cases.

Syntax of htop Command in Linux

The basic syntax of the htop command in Linux is as follows:

Where:

  • htop: This is the command to start the htop utility.
  • [options]: This is where you place optional flags to modify the behavior of the htop command.
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Options in htop Command in Linux

  1. -d, --delay=DELAY: Set the delay between updates, in tenths of seconds.

    For example -

    Output:

    The htop command with -d option is used to set the delay between updates. Here, 10 tenths of a second equals one second.

  2. -C, --no-color: Start htop in monochrome mode.

    For example -

    Output:

    The htop command with -C option is used to display output in monochrome, eliminating any color coding.

  3. -u, --user=USERNAME: Show only the processes of a given user.

    For example -

    Output:

    The htop command with -u option followed by a username restricts the output to show only the processes of the specified user.

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Example Usages

  • Monitor System Processes:

    Output:

    Explanation: Running the htop command without any options provides a dynamic real-time view of the running system processes.

  • Sort Processes by CPU Usage:

    Output:

    Explanation: This usage sorts the displayed processes based on the CPU usage, helping to easily identify the most resource-intensive processes.

Tips

  • htop supports mouse operation, you can click to interact with the interface.

  • You can customize the display of htop according to your needs by pressing F2 (Setup).

  • To kill a process in htop, you can navigate using arrow keys, then press F9 and select a signal to send.

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1200+Hiring Partners
89%Placement Rate
11,000+Placements
147%Avg Salary Increment
2.5XCareer Growth
₹23 LPAAvg Post-Scaler Salary

Advanced Use Cases of htop Command in Linux

  • Filter Processes by Name:

    Output:

    Explanation: This advanced usage is useful when you want to monitor a specific process or set of processes.

  • Tree View of Processes:

    Output:

    Explanation: Tree view groups the processes by parent-child relationships, showing which processes are spawned by others.

  • Save htop output to a file:

    Output:

    Explanation: This command saves the htop output to a text file, allowing you to analyze or share the system state at a particular moment. The -b option is for batch mode, and -n 1 runs htop only once.

Conclusion

  • htop command in Linux is a powerful tool for system monitoring and process management.

  • The htop command provides an interactive, real-time system monitoring.

  • It supports mouse operations, and the interface can be customized according to user needs.

  • htop command in Linux provides a more human-readable output than the traditional 'top' command.