Tales From A Lazy Fat DBA

Hi Guys,

Recently I started the ‘Top 5’ series where I share my top 5 features in any particular tool or product. Last time I did for SQL Developer command line (SQLcl), this time it will be about one of Linux’s favorite tool ‘TOP‘.

So, without any particular order, below are my top 5 picks of options/flags available with the tool.

c : To get absolute path of the commands currently executing. This will be quite helpful if you want to know from where the command/executable is running. I have used this option lot of the times in multiple performance battles that I have won 🙂 Look at the screen below and in to column COMMAND.

z: will display running process in RED color which may help you to identified running process easily.

1: To get usage details per CPU core.

SHIFT+i : To disable the IRIX (default mode is ON) mode, help you to understand – Why Process CPU % Usage larger than Total CPU Time ?

E: To get memory details in KB, MB & GB, press ‘E’ each time. So, no need to separately call ‘free’ command.

I know this is all about top 5 picks, but here goes my 6th top (kinda reserve option) 🙂

V: Tree Mode, to display the processes in a parent child hierarchy.

Hope It Helped
Prashant Dixit