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The ps Command

ps is like a class roll call that lists every program currently running, each with its own ID number, so you know who is up and about on your computer.

In this page:

  1. The ps Command
Syntax
bash 
ps [options]
ps -p process_id

The ps Command

ps lists currently running processes, showing information like process ID (PID), status, and the command that started them. ps aux is a common invocation showing all processes for all users with detailed columns.

It's the primary tool for inspecting what's running on a system.

Note:
  • Pipe ps aux into grep to find a specific process by name, e.g.
  • ps aux | grep myscript.

Example: The ps Command

bash 
#!/bin/bash
echo "Current shell's PID: $$"
ps -p $$
Related Topics

Process IDs and the ps Command · find Command Basics · The find Command · The wait Command

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Common Mistakes
  1. Using ps aux | grep name and matching the grep process itself.
  2. Forgetting that ps options differ between systems.
  3. Parsing the default ps output in scripts, when ps -o pid,comm gives stable columns.
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