bash
tr "\0" " " < /proc/1234/cmdline; echoNotes
Print the null-separated command line from /proc.
Linux /proc and Process Debugging
Low-level Linux process inspection with /proc, syscall tracing, profilers, debuggers, and core dumps.
Export
Copy the compact sheet, download it, or print it.
Download
`D` dense toggle · `C` copy all
/proc Process Filesystem
Use /proc for low-level process inspection.
Read process environment
Inspect environment variables of a process when permitted.
bashANYprocenvironment
bash
tr "\0" "
" < /proc/1234/environ | headNotes
Inspect environment variables of a process when permitted.
bash
ls -l /proc/1234/fd | headNotes
Inspect file descriptors directly from procfs.
bash
cat /proc/1234/limitsNotes
Display RLIMIT values for a process.
bash
head -40 /proc/1234/mapsNotes
Inspect mapped memory regions and permissions.
bash
head -80 /proc/1234/smapsNotes
Inspect detailed per-region memory accounting.
bash
sudo cat /proc/1234/stackNotes
Inspect a sleeping task kernel stack when permitted.
bash
cat /proc/1234/sched | head -40Notes
Inspect scheduling statistics and vruntime data.
Tracing System Calls and Libraries
Trace syscalls, signals, and shared-library calls.
bash
strace -o trace.log ./programNotes
Trace syscalls made by a new command.
bash
sudo strace -p 1234Notes
Attach to a live process and trace syscalls.
bash
strace -ff -o trace ./serverNotes
Write one trace file per process and follow forks.
bash
strace -e trace=network -p 1234Notes
Focus on network-related system calls only.
bash
strace -e trace=file -p 1234Notes
Focus on file and pathname operations.
bash
ltrace -o ltrace.log ./programNotes
Trace dynamic library calls if ltrace is installed.
bash
sudo perf topNotes
Sample hot functions on the system in real time.
bash
sudo perf record -p 1234 -- sleep 30Notes
Collect CPU samples for one PID over time.
bash
sudo perf reportNotes
Analyze a perf recording interactively.
Debuggers and Core Dumps
Attach debuggers and work with core files.
bash
gdb -p 1234Notes
Attach a debugger to a running process.
bash
gdb -batch -ex "thread apply all bt" -p 1234Notes
Collect all-thread backtraces from a live process.
bash
coredumpctl listNotes
List core dumps managed by systemd-coredump.
bash
coredumpctl gdb 1234Notes
Load the newest core dump for a PID into gdb.
bash
ulimit -c unlimitedNotes
Allow the shell to generate core dumps.
More in Linux Processes
Linux systemd and Service Processes
systemd-oriented process inspection, signaling, cgroup views, transient units, and service troubleshooting.
Linux Signals and Job Control
Linux signals, process groups, shell job control, and safe batch-termination patterns.
Linux Process Monitoring
Interactive and sampled monitoring for Linux processes, threads, memory, sockets, and scheduler behavior.
Linux Processes Cheat Sheet
Comprehensive Linux process inspection, control, scheduling, and backgrounding workflows.