# phpman > man > PSTREE(1)

> **TLDR:** A convenient tool to show running processes as a tree.
>
- Display a tree of all processes (rooted at init):
  `pstree`
- Display a tree of processes with PIDs:
  `pstree {{-p|--show-pids}}`
- Display all process trees rooted at processes owned by specified user:
  `pstree {{user}}`
- Display command line arguments:
  `pstree {{-a|--arguments}}`
- Display children of a specified process:
  `pstree {{pid}}`
- Display parents of a specified process:
  `pstree {{-s|--show-parents}} {{pid}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

[PSTREE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PSTREE/1/markdown)                                   User Commands                                  [PSTREE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PSTREE/1/markdown)



## NAME
       pstree - display a tree of processes

## SYNOPSIS
       **pstree** [**-a**, **--arguments**] [**-c**, **--compact-not**] [**-C**, **--color** _attr_] [**-g**, **--show-pgids**]
       [**-h**, **--highlight-all**, **-H** _pid_, **--highlight-pid** _pid_] [**-l**, **--long**] [**-n**, **--numeric-sort**]
       [**-N**, **--ns-sort** _ns_] [**-p**, **--show-pids**] [**-s**, **--show-parents**] [**-S**, **--ns-changes**] [**-t**, **--thread-**
       **names**] [**-T**, **--hide-threads**] [**-u**, **--uid-changes**] [**-Z**, **--security-context**]
       [**-A**, **--ascii**, **-G**, **--vt100**, **-U**, **--unicode**] [_pid_, _user_]
       **pstree** **-V**, **--version**

## DESCRIPTION
       **pstree** shows running processes as a tree.  The tree is rooted at either _pid_ or **init** if _pid_ is
       omitted.  If a user name is specified, all process trees rooted at processes  owned  by  that
       user are shown.

       **pstree**  visually  merges  identical branches by putting them in square brackets and prefixing
       them with the repetition count, e.g.

           init-+-getty
                |-getty
                |-getty
                `-getty

       becomes

           init---4*[getty]


       Child threads of a process are found under the parent process and are shown with the  process
       name in curly braces, e.g.

           icecast2---13*[{icecast2}]


       If  **pstree**  is  called  as  **pstree.x11** then it will prompt the user at the end of the line to
       press return and will not return until that has happened.  This is useful for when **pstree**  is
       run in a xterminal.

       Certain kernel or mount parameters, such as the _hidepid_ option for procfs, will hide informa‐
       tion for some processes. In these situations **pstree** will attempt to build  the  tree  without
       this information, showing process names as question marks.


## OPTIONS
### -a
              process is shown in parentheses.  **-a** implicitly disables compaction for processes  but
              not threads.

### -A

### -c
              possible.

### -C
              which colors by process age.  Processes newer than 60 seconds are green, newer than an
              hour yellow and the remaining red.

### -g
              process  name.   **-g**  implicitly  disables compaction.  If both PIDs and PGIDs are dis‐
              played then PIDs are shown first.

### -G

### -h
              doesn't  support  highlighting or if neither the current process nor any of its ances‐
              tors are in the subtree being shown.

### -H -h -h
              when using **-H** if highlighting is not available.

### -l
              variable or the display width.  If neither of these methods work, the default  of  132
              columns is used.

### -n

### -N
              are: _ipc_, _mnt_, _net_, _pid_, _time_, _user_, _uts_.  Regular users don't have  access  to  other
              users' processes information, so the output will be limited.

### -p
              **-p** implicitly disables compaction.

### -s

### -S -N
              user.

### -t

### -T

### -u
              ent, the new uid is shown in parentheses after the process name.

### -U
              is entered on the console with **echo** **-e** **'** **33%8'** and left with **echo** **-e** **'** **33%@'**.

### -V

### -Z
              the security context.

## FILES
       /proc  location of the proc file system

## BUGS
       Some character sets may be incompatible with the VT100 characters.

## SEE ALSO
       [**ps**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ps/1/markdown), [**top**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/top/1/markdown), [**proc**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/proc/5/markdown).



psmisc                                       2021-01-05                                    [PSTREE(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PSTREE/1/markdown)