2.
Student Handout
Student Handout: Understanding Processes
in Linux
Introduction to Processes
A process is a running instance of a program in Linux.
Each process has a unique Process ID (PID).
Foreground vs. Background Processes
Foreground Processes
Definition: Runs directly in the terminal and takes control of it.
Example 1: Running cat [Link] displays the file content and occupies the
terminal.
Example 2: Executing nano [Link] opens a text editor in the terminal.
Example 3: Using python [Link] runs a Python script and holds the terminal until
completion.
Background Processes
Definition: Runs in the background, allowing terminal use for other tasks.
Example 1: sleep 60 & runs the sleep command for 60 seconds in the background.
Example 2: wget [Link] & downloads a file without blocking the
terminal.
Example 3: find / -name "*.txt" & searches for text files across the system in the
background.
Managing Processes
Bringing a Foreground Process to the Background
1. Pause the process: Use Ctrl + Z .
2. Send to background: Use bg command.
Example:
$ cat [Link]
# Press Ctrl + Z
$ bg
Bringing a Background Process to the Foreground
Use the fg command to bring the most recent background process to the foreground.
Example:
$ fg
Checking Running Processes
Command: ps shows processes in the terminal.
Command: ps aux lists all system processes.
Example 1: ps displays processes with their PIDs.
Example 2: ps aux | grep python filters processes related to Python.
Example 3: ps -ef provides a full-format listing of all processes.
Killing a Process
Command: kill <PID> terminates a process.
Force Kill: kill -9 <PID> forcefully kills a process.
Example 1: kill 1234 terminates the process with PID 1234.
Example 2: kill -9 5678 forcefully kills the process with PID 5678.
Example 3: pkill firefox kills all processes related to Firefox.
Shell Scripting Basics
Creating a Simple Shell Script
1. Write Commands: Use a text editor to write commands.
2. Save File: Save as [Link] .
3. Make Executable: Use chmod +x [Link] .
4. Run Script: Execute with ./[Link] .
Example Script:
#!/bin/bash
echo "Hello, World!"
sleep 5
echo "This is a simple shell script."
Example 1: A script to list files:
#!/bin/bash
ls -l
Example 2: A script to display current date and time:
#!/bin/bash
date
Example 3: A script to create a directory:
#!/bin/bash
mkdir new_directory
Conclusion
Processes: Running instances of programs with unique PIDs.
Foreground vs. Background: Foreground takes terminal control; background allows
multitasking.
Process Management: Use ps , bg , fg , and kill to manage processes.
Shell Scripting: Automate tasks by writing commands in a script.
Feel free to ask questions if you need further clarification on any topic!
