Quick Tip

Tame Your `ps` Output: Focused Process Info with `awk`

Challenge: The output of the `ps` command can be overwhelmingly verbose, making it difficult to quickly find specific process information like the command name, PID, or user.

The Solution: Leverage `awk` to filter and format the `ps` output for precisely the columns you need.

ps aux | awk '{print $11, $2, $1}'

Why it works: This command pipes the output of `ps aux` (which provides a comprehensive snapshot of running processes) to `awk`. `awk` then processes each line, printing only the 11th column (command name), 2nd column (PID), and 1st column (user), effectively cutting through the noise.

Pro-Tip: Use `ps -eo pid,user,command` for a more direct way to select specific columns without needing `awk` if you only need a few standard fields.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/17/2026