getpriority - Linux
Overview
getpriority retrieves or sets the scheduling priority of a process or thread. This command is used to control the relative priority of a process in the Linux system scheduler.
Syntax
getpriority COMMAND
getpriority [-l|-n] [PID|COMMAND]
setpriority PRIORITY [-l|-n] [PID|COMMAND]
Options/Flags
-l: Lists all available priority levels.
-n: Displays numerical priority values instead of descriptions.
PRIORITY: A number between -20 to 19, where higher numbers indicate higher priority.
PID: Process ID of the target process.
Examples
- Get the current priority of process with PID 1234:
getpriority -n 1234
- Set the priority of process with PID 1234 to 10:
setpriority 10 -n 1234
- List all available priority levels:
getpriority -l
Common Issues
- If the user does not have sufficient permissions, the command will fail with an error.
- Negative values for PRIORITY will cause an error.
- Setting the priority too high may cause system instability.
Integration
Renice: getpriority
can be used in combination with the renice
utility to manage process priorities interactively.
- Renice process with PID 1234 by 5 steps:
renice 5 -p 1234
Related Commands
- ps: Display process information.
- nice: Run a command with a modified priority.
- top: Display system and process statistics.