Linux jobs Command

In Linux, we can use “jobs” command is used to list the jobs that you are running in the background and in the foreground.

Note: All shells are not capable of running this command. This command is only available in the csh, bash, tcsh, and ksh shells.

Find out whether jobs is part of shell

to find out whether jobs is part of shell, external command or both:

>> type -a jobs
>> command -V jobs

jobs is a shell builtin
jobs is a shell builtin

jobs Command Syntax

>> jobs  [JOB]

jobs JOB Name or Number Options

JOB	Job name or number.
-l	Lists process IDs in addition to the normal information.
-n	List only processes that have changed status since the last notification.
-p	Lists process IDs only.
-r	Restrict output to running jobs.
-s	Restrict output to stopped jobs.

jobs Command Example

>> jobs

If the prompt is returned with no information no jobs are present.

In case there is no job exist then let’s create a job.

First, start a new job as follows:

>> sleep 120 &

Now, only show jobs that have stopped or exited since last notified, type:

>> jobs -n

[1]+  Running                 sleep 120 &

jobs -p Command

To display the process ID or jobs for the job whose name begins with “s”.

>> jobs -p %s

>> jobs %s

153

Note: Job id may be different.

The character % introduces a job specification.

In this example, you are using the string whose name begins with suspended command such as %ping.

jobs -r Command

jobs -r option to jobs command to display only running jobs only.

>> jobs -r

Output:

[1]   Running                 gpass &
[2]   Running                 gnome-calculator &
[3]-  Running                 gedit fetch-stock-prices.py &

jobs -l Command

jobs -r show process IDs in addition to the normal information

>> jobs -l

jobs -s Command

jobs -s display only jobs that have stopped

>> jobs -s