How to list processes by user in Linux
When using tools such as ps or top to show running processes in Linux or any other Unix-based operating systems, you're normally presented with all the processes in the system which could get a bit overwhelming.
You often need to drill down and see running processes only from yourself or any other particular user. It is especially true if you're administering a server that allows remote access from multiple users.
You can use command-line tools such as ps, top, and pgrep to list running processes in Linux and to make them only show processes from a specific user that you wish to target.
Steps to list processes by user in Linux:
- List processes from a single user using ps.
$ ps -u gdm -U gdm PID TTY TIME CMD 737 ? 00:00:00 systemd 738 ? 00:00:00 (sd-pam) 1260 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon 1271 tty1 00:00:00 gdm-x-session 1273 tty1 00:00:00 Xorg 1282 tty1 00:00:00 gnome-session-b 1284 ? 00:00:00 at-spi-bus-laun 1289 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon 1294 ? 00:00:00 pulseaudio 1298 ? 00:00:00 gnome-session-c 1306 ? 00:00:00 gnome-keyring-d 1312 ? 00:00:00 gnome-session-b 1321 ? 00:00:03 gnome-shell 1346 ? 00:00:00 xdg-permission- 1367 ? 00:00:00 ibus-daemon 1375 ? 00:00:00 ibus-memconf 1378 ? 00:00:00 ibus-x11 1382 ? 00:00:00 ibus-portal 1405 ? 00:00:00 at-spi2-registr 1415 ? 00:00:00 gsd-wwan 1416 ? 00:00:00 gsd-power 1417 ? 00:00:00 gsd-wacom 1420 ? 00:00:00 gsd-xsettings 1421 ? 00:00:00 gsd-color 1430 ? 00:00:00 gsd-keyboard 1434 ? 00:00:00 gsd-rfkill 1436 ? 00:00:00 gsd-a11y-settin 1442 ? 00:00:00 gsd-media-keys 1448 ? 00:00:00 gsd-smartcard 1453 ? 00:00:00 gsd-sound 1461 ? 00:00:00 gsd-print-notif 1484 ? 00:00:00 gsd-printer 1487 ? 00:00:00 ibus-engine-sim
- List processes from multiple users using ps.
$ ps -u gdm -U gdm -u root -U root PID TTY TIME CMD 1 ? 00:00:04 systemd 2 ? 00:00:00 kthreadd 3 ? 00:00:00 rcu_gp 4 ? 00:00:00 rcu_par_gp 6 ? 00:00:00 kworker/0:0H-kblockd 7 ? 00:00:00 kworker/0:1-events 9 ? 00:00:00 mm_percpu_wq 10 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/0 11 ? 00:00:00 rcu_sched 12 ? 00:00:00 migration/0 13 ? 00:00:00 idle_inject/0 14 ? 00:00:00 cpuhp/0 15 ? 00:00:00 kdevtmpfs 16 ? 00:00:00 netns 17 ? 00:00:00 rcu_tasks_kthre 18 ? 00:00:00 kauditd 19 ? 00:00:00 khungtaskd 20 ? 00:00:00 oom_reaper 21 ? 00:00:00 writeback 22 ? 00:00:00 kcompactd0 23 ? 00:00:00 ksmd 24 ? 00:00:00 khugepaged 26 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u256:1-events_unbound 116 ? 00:00:00 kintegrityd 117 ? 00:00:00 kblockd 118 ? 00:00:00 blkcg_punt_bio 119 ? 00:00:00 tpm_dev_wq 120 ? 00:00:00 ata_sff 121 ? 00:00:00 md 122 ? 00:00:00 edac-poller 123 ? 00:00:00 devfreq_wq 124 ? 00:00:00 watchdogd 127 ? 00:00:00 kswapd0 128 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u257:0-hci0 129 ? 00:00:00 ecryptfs-kthrea 132 ? 00:00:00 kthrotld 133 ? 00:00:00 irq/24-pciehp 134 ? 00:00:00 irq/25-pciehp 135 ? 00:00:00 irq/26-pciehp 136 ? 00:00:00 irq/27-pciehp 137 ? 00:00:00 irq/28-pciehp 138 ? 00:00:00 irq/29-pciehp 139 ? 00:00:00 irq/30-pciehp 140 ? 00:00:00 irq/31-pciehp 141 ? 00:00:00 irq/32-pciehp 142 ? 00:00:00 irq/33-pciehp 143 ? 00:00:00 irq/34-pciehp 144 ? 00:00:00 irq/35-pciehp 145 ? 00:00:00 irq/36-pciehp 146 ? 00:00:00 irq/37-pciehp 147 ? 00:00:00 irq/38-pciehp 148 ? 00:00:00 irq/39-pciehp 149 ? 00:00:00 irq/40-pciehp 150 ? 00:00:00 irq/41-pciehp 151 ? 00:00:00 irq/42-pciehp 152 ? 00:00:00 irq/43-pciehp 153 ? 00:00:00 irq/44-pciehp 154 ? 00:00:00 irq/45-pciehp 155 ? 00:00:00 irq/46-pciehp 156 ? 00:00:00 irq/47-pciehp 157 ? 00:00:00 irq/48-pciehp 158 ? 00:00:00 irq/49-pciehp 159 ? 00:00:00 irq/50-pciehp 160 ? 00:00:00 irq/51-pciehp 161 ? 00:00:00 irq/52-pciehp 162 ? 00:00:00 irq/53-pciehp 163 ? 00:00:00 irq/54-pciehp 164 ? 00:00:00 irq/55-pciehp 165 ? 00:00:00 acpi_thermal_pm 166 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_0 167 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_0 168 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_1 169 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_1 171 ? 00:00:00 ipv6_addrconf 183 ? 00:00:00 kstrp 202 ? 00:00:00 charger_manager 233 ? 00:00:00 kworker/0:3-events 245 ? 00:00:00 mpt_poll_0 246 ? 00:00:00 mpt/0 247 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_2 248 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_2 249 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_3 250 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_3 251 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_4 252 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_4 253 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_5 254 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_5 255 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_6 256 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_6 257 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_7 258 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_7 259 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_8 260 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_8 261 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_9 262 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_9 263 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_10 264 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_10 265 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_11 266 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_11 267 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_12 268 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_12 269 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_13 270 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_13 271 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_14 272 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_14 273 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_15 274 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_16 275 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_16 276 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_15 277 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_17 278 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_17 279 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_18 280 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_18 281 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_19 282 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_19 283 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_20 284 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_20 285 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_21 286 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_21 287 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_22 288 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_22 289 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_23 290 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_23 291 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_24 292 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_24 293 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_25 294 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_25 295 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_26 296 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_26 297 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_27 298 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_27 299 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_28 300 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_28 301 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_29 302 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_29 303 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_30 304 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_30 305 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_31 306 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_31 307 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_32 308 ? 00:00:00 scsi_tmf_32 332 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u256:28-flush-0:52 333 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u256:29-events_power_efficient 337 ? 00:00:01 kworker/0:1H-kblockd 360 ? 00:00:00 jbd2/sda1-8 361 ? 00:00:00 ext4-rsv-conver 408 ? 00:00:01 systemd-journal 421 ? 00:00:00 irq/16-vmwgfx 422 ? 00:00:00 systemd-udevd 423 ? 00:00:00 ttm_swap 435 ? 00:00:00 loop0 438 ? 00:00:00 vmware-vmblock- 441 ? 00:00:00 loop1 444 ? 00:00:00 loop2 446 ? 00:00:00 loop3 447 ? 00:00:00 loop4 454 ? 00:00:00 loop5 457 ? 00:00:00 loop6 459 ? 00:00:00 loop7 465 ? 00:00:00 loop8 467 ? 00:00:00 loop9 514 ? 00:00:00 VGAuthService 517 ? 00:00:00 vmtoolsd 554 ? 00:00:00 NetworkManager 563 ? 00:00:00 udisksd 571 ? 00:00:00 ModemManager 573 ? 00:00:00 networkd-dispat 584 ? 00:00:00 accounts-daemon 591 ? 00:00:00 systemd-logind 592 ? 00:00:04 snapd 602 ? 00:00:00 cron 606 ? 00:00:00 acpid 607 ? 00:00:00 wpa_supplicant 668 ? 00:00:00 polkitd 684 ? 00:00:00 cupsd 689 ? 00:00:00 cups-browsed 699 ? 00:00:00 gdm3 710 ? 00:00:00 unattended-upgr 737 ? 00:00:00 systemd 738 ? 00:00:00 (sd-pam) 984 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u257:2-hci0 1000 ? 00:00:00 cryptd 1148 ? 00:00:00 bluetoothd 1216 ? 00:00:00 loop10 1258 ? 00:00:00 gdm-session-wor 1260 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon 1271 tty1 00:00:00 gdm-x-session 1273 tty1 00:00:00 Xorg 1282 tty1 00:00:00 gnome-session-b 1284 ? 00:00:00 at-spi-bus-laun 1289 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon 1294 ? 00:00:00 pulseaudio 1298 ? 00:00:00 gnome-session-c 1306 ? 00:00:00 gnome-keyring-d 1312 ? 00:00:00 gnome-session-b 1321 ? 00:00:03 gnome-shell 1346 ? 00:00:00 xdg-permission- 1352 ? 00:00:00 upowerd 1357 ? 00:00:06 packagekitd 1367 ? 00:00:00 ibus-daemon 1375 ? 00:00:00 ibus-memconf 1378 ? 00:00:00 ibus-x11 1382 ? 00:00:00 ibus-portal 1405 ? 00:00:00 at-spi2-registr 1415 ? 00:00:00 gsd-wwan 1416 ? 00:00:00 gsd-power 1417 ? 00:00:00 gsd-wacom 1420 ? 00:00:00 gsd-xsettings 1421 ? 00:00:00 gsd-color 1430 ? 00:00:00 gsd-keyboard 1434 ? 00:00:00 gsd-rfkill 1436 ? 00:00:00 gsd-a11y-settin 1442 ? 00:00:00 gsd-media-keys 1448 ? 00:00:00 gsd-smartcard 1453 ? 00:00:00 gsd-sound 1461 ? 00:00:00 gsd-print-notif 1484 ? 00:00:00 gsd-printer 1487 ? 00:00:00 ibus-engine-sim 1566 ? 00:00:00 gdm-session-wor 1620 ? 00:00:00 krfcommd 2339 ? 00:00:00 fwupd 2348 ? 00:00:00 boltd 3140 ? 00:00:00 sshd 4320 ? 00:00:00 sshd - Filter ps process list based on username using grep.
$ ps -aef | grep avahi avahi 580 1 0 10:03 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon: running [host.local] avahi 657 580 0 10:03 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon: chroot helper user 4804 4647 0 10:21 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto avahi
- List processes from a single user using top.
$ top -u gdm top - 10:22:34 up 19 min, 2 users, load average: 0.01, 0.11, 0.28 Tasks: 306 total, 1 running, 305 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie %Cpu(s): 3.0 us, 0.3 sy, 0.0 ni, 96.6 id, 0.0 wa, 0.0 hi, 0.0 si, 0.0 st MiB Mem : 3907.9 total, 1688.9 free, 1229.8 used, 989.2 buff/cache MiB Swap: 947.2 total, 947.2 free, 0.0 used. 2427.5 avail Mem PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND 737 gdm 20 0 18620 9484 7564 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.47 systemd 738 gdm 20 0 102676 2828 20 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.00 (sd-pam) 1260 gdm 20 0 7508 4772 4020 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.08 dbus-daemon 1271 gdm 20 0 172508 6700 6052 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.00 gdm-x-session 1273 gdm 20 0 242544 48240 33340 S 0.0 1.2 0:00.56 Xorg 1282 gdm 20 0 274412 15696 14016 S 0.0 0.4 0:00.01 gnome-session-b 1284 gdm 20 0 309584 9276 8424 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.00 at-spi-bus-laun 1289 gdm 20 0 7204 4292 3856 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.00 dbus-daemon 1294 gdm 20 0 890912 17428 13716 S 0.0 0.4 0:00.45 pulseaudio 1298 gdm 20 0 98552 4340 3924 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.00 gnome-session-c 1306 gdm 20 0 248540 6024 5192 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.00 gnome-keyring-d 1312 gdm 20 0 496012 17136 14748 S 0.0 0.4 0:00.06 gnome-session-b 1321 gdm 20 0 2252776 157356 87328 S 0.0 3.9 0:03.83 gnome-shell 1346 gdm 20 0 244160 4696 4252 S 0.0 0.1 0:00.01 xdg-permission- 1367 gdm 20 0 396876 10356 8808 S 0.0 0.3 0:00.05 ibus-daemon 1375 gdm 20 0 174968 7992 7332 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.00 ibus-memconf 1378 gdm 20 0 209484 28560 19416 S 0.0 0.7 0:00.29 ibus-x11
top accepts either -u or -U , but not both at the same time.
$ top -u gdm -U gdm top: conflicting process selections (U/p/u)
- List processes from multiple users using pgrep.
$ pgrep -l -u gdm -U gdm 737 systemd 738 (sd-pam) 1260 dbus-daemon 1271 gdm-x-session 1273 Xorg 1282 gnome-session-b 1284 at-spi-bus-laun 1289 dbus-daemon 1294 pulseaudio 1298 gnome-session-c 1306 gnome-keyring-d 1312 gnome-session-b 1321 gnome-shell 1346 xdg-permission- 1367 ibus-daemon 1375 ibus-memconf 1378 ibus-x11 1382 ibus-portal 1405 at-spi2-registr 1415 gsd-wwan 1416 gsd-power 1417 gsd-wacom 1420 gsd-xsettings 1421 gsd-color 1430 gsd-keyboard 1434 gsd-rfkill 1436 gsd-a11y-settin 1442 gsd-media-keys 1448 gsd-smartcard 1453 gsd-sound 1461 gsd-print-notif 1484 gsd-printer 1487 ibus-engine-sim
Author: Mohd Shakir Zakaria
Cloud architect by profession but always consider himself as a developer, entrepreneur and an opensource enthusiast.
Cloud architect by profession but always consider himself as a developer, entrepreneur and an opensource enthusiast.
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