{ "created": "2015-12-20T19:56:48Z", "hierarchy": [ { "name": "ROOT", "type": "folder", "uri": "/ROOT" }, { "name": "Foreground and Background Processes Management", "type": "article", "uri": "Foreground_and_Background_Processes_Management" } ], "html": "\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Foreground and Background Processes Management – Nikhil's Personal Wiki\n \n \n \n \n \n
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Foreground and Background Processes Management\n \n

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To illustrate, here’s a directory listing:

\n
user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l\ntotal 76\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh\n-rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh\n-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh\n
\n

Let’s say I started editing a file (e.g. vim backup.sh. I now hit Ctrl+z to ‘push’ the process into the background. This is what I see:

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[1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh\nuser@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n
\n

Now I edit another file (or start another process) and hit Ctrl+z again:

\n
[2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\nuser@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n
\n

And so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue ps or (better) jobs:

\n
user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps\n  PID TTY          TIME CMD\n 3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash\n 3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n 3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n 3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n 3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top\n 3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps\n\nuser@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs\n[1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh\n[2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\n[3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh\n[4]-  Stopped                 top\n
\n

The “+” and “-” signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs respectively. Typing fg will bring the job tagged with a “+” into the foreground. From the output above, let’s say you wanted to bring top into the foreground instead:

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user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg 4\n
\n

To keep top running in the background for example (“amping off”), you would just type bg 4

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References

\n\n\n\n
\n \n
\n \n \n \n \n \n\n", "id": "c0ce56b7-6728-5ec1-9fbe-0198844cd634", "modified": "2026-05-28T13:06:17Z", "revisions": [ { "authorEmail": "mail@nikhil.io", "authorName": "Nikhil Anand", "date": "2026-05-28T13:06:17Z", "id": "e27ea079681fb743181eea70e6a19514a54c0b3e", "shortId": "e27ea079", "subject": "Formatting fixes -- Claude\n", "content": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l\n total 76\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh\n -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit `Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z` again:\n\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`** or (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps\n   PID TTY          TIME CMD\n  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash\n  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top\n  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs\n [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\n [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh\n [4]-  Stopped                 top\n\nThe \"+\" and \"-\" signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs respectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the foreground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top` into the foreground instead:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg 4\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you would just type `bg 4`\n\n## References\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n" }, { "authorEmail": "mail@nikhil.io", "authorName": "Nikhil Anand", "date": "2026-01-13T18:47:28Z", "id": "2436477560f26e23d00a24add1cbfeafdca4af78", "shortId": "24364775", "subject": "No compression\n", "content": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l \n total 76 \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh \n -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit\n`Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh \n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z`\nagain:\n\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh \n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`**\nor (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps \n   PID TTY          TIME CMD \n  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash \n  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top \n  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs \n [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh \n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh \n [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh \n [4]-  Stopped                 top\n\nThe \"+\" and \"-\" signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs\nrespectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the\nforeground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top`\ninto the foreground instead:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg 4\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you\nwould just type `bg 4`\n\nReferences\n----------\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n" }, { "authorEmail": "mail@nikhil.io", "authorName": "Nikhil Anand", "date": "2015-12-27T07:27:56Z", "id": "1aa29105a45aa67523ffb61e73bcc415f935a47e", "shortId": "1aa29105", "subject": "Fix Markdown conversion\n\nSaw half a season of The Office\n", "content": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l \n total 76 \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh \n -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh \n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit\n`Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh \n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z`\nagain:\n\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh \n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`**\nor (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps \n   PID TTY          TIME CMD \n  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash \n  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim \n  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top \n  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs \n [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh \n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh \n [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh \n [4]-  Stopped                 top\n\nThe \"+\" and \"-\" signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs\nrespectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the\nforeground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top`\ninto the foreground instead:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg 4\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you\nwould just type `bg 4`\n\nReferences\n----------\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n" }, { "authorEmail": "mail@nikhil.io", "authorName": "Nikhil Anand", "date": "2015-12-21T02:30:47Z", "id": "d658e80d1ecb97b196531c7b15a0f9af709c05de", "shortId": "d658e80d", "subject": "Incremental\n", "content": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n` user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l` \n` total 76` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh` \n` -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh`\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit\n`Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n` [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh` \n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#`\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z`\nagain:\n\n` [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh` \n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#`\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`**\nor (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps` \n`   PID TTY          TIME CMD` \n`  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash` \n`  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top` \n`  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps`\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs` \n` [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh` \n` [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh` \n` [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh` \n` [4]-  Stopped                 top`\n\nThe **+** and **-** signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs\nrespectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the\nforeground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top`\ninto the foreground instead:\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg `**`4`**\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you\nwould just type `bg 4`\n\nReferences\n----------\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux\n Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n\n\n\n" }, { "authorEmail": "mail@nikhil.io", "authorName": "Nikhil Anand", "date": "2015-12-20T19:56:48Z", "id": "18d18b2cdf8cd155831b661a0afcb9a509a2fc68", "shortId": "18d18b2c", "subject": "Foreground and Background Processes Management : First Draft\n", "content": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n` user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l` \n` total 76` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh` \n` -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh` \n` -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh`\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit\n`Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n` [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh` \n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#`\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z`\nagain:\n\n` [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh` \n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#`\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`**\nor (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps` \n`   PID TTY          TIME CMD` \n`  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash` \n`  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim` \n`  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top` \n`  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps`\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs` \n` [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh` \n` [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh` \n` [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh` \n` [4]-  Stopped                 top`\n\nThe **+** and **-** signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs\nrespectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the\nforeground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top`\ninto the foreground instead:\n\n` user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg `**`4`**\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you\nwould just type `bg 4`\n\nReferences\n----------\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux\n Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n\n[Category:Nikhil's Notes](Category:Nikhil's_Notes \"wikilink\")\n[Category:From a past sysadmin\nlife](Category:From_a_past_sysadmin_life \"wikilink\")\n" } ], "sizeInBytes": 2591, "source": "To illustrate, here's a directory listing:\n\n user@example:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ls -l\n total 76\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   894 2011-06-27 10:00 backup.hwaddr.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 12175 2011-05-02 22:54 backup.local.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  6194 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.mysql.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 14638 2011-04-28 11:29 backup.network.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3201 2011-05-02 09:06 backup.opendirectory.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  7871 2011-04-28 11:32 backup.rotate.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3743 2011-04-12 16:53 backup.rpms.sh\n -rwx------ 1 user user  5037 2011-06-28 15:03 backup.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  4184 2011-06-27 10:01 backup.staging.sh\n -rwxr-xr-x 1 user user  3128 2011-06-27 10:58 backup.subversion.sh\n\nLet's say I started editing a file (e.g. `vim backup.sh`. I now hit `Ctrl+z` to 'push' the process into the background. This is what I see:\n\n [1]+  Stopped                 vim backup.sh\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nNow I edit another file (or start another process) and hit `Ctrl+z` again:\n\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts#\n\nAnd so on. To list all my background jobs, I can either issue **`ps`** or (better) **`jobs`**:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# ps\n   PID TTY          TIME CMD\n  3561 pts/0    00:00:00 bash\n  3697 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3728 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3773 pts/0    00:00:00 vim\n  3790 pts/0    00:00:00 top\n  3797 pts/0    00:00:00 ps\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# jobs\n [1]   Stopped                 vim backup.sh\n [2]+  Stopped                 vim backup.subversion.sh\n [3]   Stopped                 vim backup.network.sh\n [4]-  Stopped                 top\n\nThe \"+\" and \"-\" signs indicate the first and second most recent jobs respectively. Typing `fg` will bring the job tagged with a \"+\" into the foreground. From the output above, let's say you wanted to bring `top` into the foreground instead:\n\n user@support:~/scripts/trunk/backup_scripts# fg 4\n\nTo keep `top` running in the background for example (\"amping off\"), you would just type `bg 4`\n\n## References\n\n- [The Shell - The Linux Cookbook](http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/cookbook_5.html)\n", "title": "Foreground and Background Processes Management", "untracked": false, "uri": "/Foreground_and_Background_Processes_Management", "relativePath": "Foreground and Background Processes Management.md" }