function::task_open_file_handles - Linux

Overview

function::task_open_file_handles reports the number of open file handles by tasks. It’s primarily used to identify processes that may be leaking file handles, consuming system resources and potentially impacting system stability.

Syntax

function::task_open_file_handles {options} [pid | pslist]

Options/Flags

  • -h, –help
    Display help and usage information.
  • -r, –raw
    Display only the task’s PID and number of open file handles, separated by a comma.
  • -tt, –task-group-tasks
    Show the summed open file handle count of all tasks in each task group.
  • -w, –wide
    Display additional columns with detailed information:

    • USER: The user who owns the task.
    • CMDLINE: The command line used to launch the task.

Examples

Display open file handles for the current shell:

function::task_open_file_handles

Display raw PID and open file handle count:

function::task_open_file_handles -r

Display open file handles for a specific process:

function::task_open_file_handles 1234

Sum open file handles within task groups:

function::task_open_file_handles -tt

Common Issues

  • Ensure you have root privileges to view system-wide information.
  • The command may report open file handles in use by other system tools or services, which is not necessarily an indication of a problem.

Integration

  • Combine with awk or grep to filter or process the output for specific criteria.
  • Use xargs to chain with other commands, such as kill or ps -ef.

Related Commands

  • lsof: List open files and file descriptors associated with processes.
  • top: Monitor system processes and resource usage, including open file handles.
  • ps: Display information about running processes, including open file handles.