# 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 {{process_id}}`
- Display parents of a specified process:
  `pstree {{-s|--show-parents}} {{process_id}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

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## 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.  If both PIDs and PGIDs are displayed 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                                       2021-06-21                                    [_PSTREE_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PSTREE/1/markdown)