How to Read Linux Top Command Output:

How to Read Linux Top Command Output:

Result Row #1:	up time from last reboot, currently logged in users and cpu load on server	uptime
Result Row #2	process running on server and there state.
Result Row #3:	cpu utilization status on server
Result Row #4:	shows the memory utilization on server,	free
Result Row #5:	Row 4 shows the swap memory utilization on server	free
Result Row #6:	All running process on servers

Top Command: As a Linux system administrator, top command is a frequently used command and our daily tasks we used multiple times this commands to view resource utilization by processes on server. This command helps us to find which process is utilizing what resources of system.

Using this article, I am trying to write to how to use and read results of top command.

How to Read Linux Top Command Output:

When we execute top command on linux, it shows a lot of results, here i am trying to show you to how to read it row by row.

Result Row #1:

Row 1 results shows about server up time from last reboot, currently logged in users and cpu load on server. The same output you can find using linux uptime command.

Result Row #2:

Row 2 shows the number of process running on server and there state.

Zombie process or defunct process is a process that has completed execution but still has an entry in the process table. This entry is still needed to allow the parent process to read its child’s exit status.

Result Row #3:

Row three shows the cpu utilization status on server, you can find here how much cpu is free and how much is utilizing by system.

Definition from access.redhat.com:
Steal time is the time that a virtual CPU waits for a real CPU while the hypervisor is servicing another virtual processor.

Result Row #4:

Row 4 shows the memory utilization on server, you can find here how much memory is used, the sameresults you can find using free command.

Result Row #5:

Row 4 shows the swap memory utilization on server, you can find here how much swap is being used, the same results you can find using free command.

Result Row #6 ( Running Processes ):In this steps you will see all running process on servers and there additional details about them like below.

If you want to sort output on basis of any fields, you can use following key combinations.

Press "SHIFT + F" and Select your choice below and press ENTER.

  A     ( PID = Process Id )

  b     (  PPID   = Parent Process Pid )

  d     (  UID= User Id )

  e     (  USER   = User Name )

  f     (  GROUP  = Group Name )

  g     (  TTY= Controlling Tty )

  h     (  PR = Priority )

  i     (  NI = Nice value ) 

  j     (  P  = Last used cpu (SMP) )

  k     (  %CPU  = CPU usage )

  l     (  TIME  = CPU Time )

  n     (  %MEM  = Memory usage (RES) )

  o     (  VIRT  = Virtual Image (kb) )

  p     (  SWAP  = Swapped size (kb) )

  q     (  RES= Resident size (kb) )

  r     (  CODE  = Code size  (kb) )

  s     (  DATA  = Data+Stack size (kb) )

  t     (  SHR= Shared Mem size (kb) )

  w     (  S  = Process Status )

  x     (  COMMAND= Command name/line )

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