Demystifying the Top Command in Linux | Linux Crash Course Series

Welcome to another episode of the "Linux Crash Course" series! In this installment, we delve into the top command in Linux. With hands-on examples, we'll demystify the top command, explaining its various options and parameters in a beginner-friendly manner. Learn how to monitor system resources, view running processes, and gain insights into system performance in real-time. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a solid grasp of using the top command to optimize your Linux system. Subscribe now for more Linux Crash Course tutorials and empower yourself with Linux knowledge!
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⏰ TIME CODES
00:00 - Intro
00:54 - Set up your very own cloud Linux server with Akamai's Connected Cloud (Sponsor)
02:13 - Basic usage of the top command
03:14 - Understanding the various fields and statistics of the top command
09:12 - What is a "Zombie" process in Linux?
10:40 - Deciphering CPU usage within the top command
15:14 - Understanding memory usage as shown within the top command
16:25 - Viewing swap usage with the top command
16:56 - Understanding the process table within the top command
18:03 - Sorting the process table in top by CPU or Memory usage
18:59 - Killing a process with the top command
20:00 - Changing the update frequency of the top command
20:49 - Within the top command, what should you focus on paying attention to?
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[@elielberra2867]

Your Linux tutorials are amazing, super clear and useful! Thank you so much!

[@12Q46HPRN]

Great video, as always!
Thank you for going into detail on the top command. While I've come to understand most of the data on the top screen, you helped explain more of the lesser-known (at least to me) sections of the screen.
I also appreciate the top vs. htop statements at the end.
Thank you, again.

[@christianbmerges]

Pressing 1 is also important to see how many cores are on wait.

[@kmg501]

This was very helpful, thank you!

[@mikes.9091]

Thank you for this information - really appreciate the explanation. Picking up your book!

[@samv1611]

well explained. thank you! more learning videos please!

[@christopherjackson2157]

I liked how you worked the book in :)
I learned a long time ago to write notes to my future self. Though I can't imagine how much work it would take to make them into a book that would help anyone else

[@andysmith6685]

Great video, Thanks Jay!

[@Alex-rh4yt]

Wow! That is soo interesting. Thank you!

[@sussusamogus7831]

great explanation jay

[@liamray2010]

Thank you!

[@ahmedghallab5342]

شكرا Thanks it was very helpful

[@mason8714]

great video as always - can i just ask as i may have missed it but what does the S stand ford in-between SHR & %CPU just checked my top and it all lists S apart from i think i say an I there aswell.

[@spelz1751]

The matrix back drop is cool.

[@mihai6564]

good video

[@dubareddy383]

I want to know, how to build custom ubuntu server image, so that I have some package installed and customization done. Like how we download ISO from Ubuntu. Thank you

[@macsoyyo]

You missed the S column 😢 nice video ! Good job

[@princeardalan]

What is the unit for the memory numbers listed? Are they in Bytes? Mega Bytes?

[@abkmf]

4:47
I have 3 users logged in, although:
1) I'm the only one who owns and uses the laptop.
2) I have one user on Linux.
There's a reason. I signed in to tty1, tty2, and tty3. Should I sign in to tty5, then the number of users increases from 3 to...

[@christopherjackson2157]

Also on macos. If u ever end up with the unenviable task of troubleshooting a MacBook ❤

[@nickpark5050]

avail is not related to virtual memory at all. It reflects the amount of available physical memory which equals to the sum of the amount of free memory which labelled as free + the amount of memory being used for cache and buffering which labelled as buff/cache.

[@DaveSomething]

I used to use top, now htop... f10 to quit (years later, still haven't gotten used to that)

[@ttom3923]

you can quit with q from htop

[@DaveSomething]

@@ttom3923 and oddly, I've never even considered it! thank you!

[@NatePick]

I will mention that btop is the better graphical top if anyone wants something that looks good.

[@thomasowusu-cl9wv]

can you kill a zombie process

[@quintonchristie7149]

Hola. Random rant; after my last update my MX Linux suddenly does not recognize the soundcard on my HP EliteBook 840 G7 Notebook PC, and the MX forums are crap, to say the least. Why did this happen? I'm not tech svy enough to mess with the terminal, kernel, cookbook, codes, whatever; I just want my laptop to have sound again. How does one fix this, or what can I read to help me (or the person I'm going to take my laptop to, our local HP HQ)?

[@danielpicassomunoz2752]

So... linode is gone

[@marknakasone85]

$htop | $nvtop | $iftop |$neofetch #can help in special cases.