How to show process tree in Linux

Every process in Linux is started by another process except for init. init is the first process in Linux where the kernel executes it during system boot. init then execute or create other processes, which in turn create other processes.

These processes run in a parent-child relationship or a tree-like structure. You can show a process tree where child processes are grouped by their parent process in Linux using ps and pstree command at the terminal.

1. Launch a terminal application such as GNOME Terminal or konsole.
2. List running processes owned by you using ps.

   $ ps -x    PID TTY      STAT   TIME COMMAND   1080 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd --user   1081 ?        S      0:00 (sd-pam)   1092 tty1     S+     0:00 -bash   1175 ?        S      0:00 sshd: user@pts/0   1176 pts/0    Ss     0:00 -bash   1424 pts/0    R+     0:00 ps -x

3. List these processes using ps in a tree format.

   $ ps -x --forest    PID TTY      STAT   TIME COMMAND   1175 ?        S      0:00 sshd: user@pts/0   1176 pts/0    Ss     0:00  \_ -bash   1436 pts/0    R+     0:00      \_ ps -x --forest   1092 tty1     S+     0:00 -bash   1080 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd --user   1081 ?        S      0:00  \_ (sd-pam)

   More options could be added to the command such as ps -aux –forest to see details of more processes

   Manual: ps manual

4. Install pstree if it's not already installed.

   $ sudo apt update && sudo apt install --assume-yes psmisc #Ubuntu and Debian $ sudo yum install --assumeyes pstree #CentOS and Red Hat

5. List processes in a tree format using pstree.

   $ pstree systemd─┬─VGAuthService         ├─accounts-daemon───2*[{accounts-daemon}]         ├─atd         ├─cron         ├─dbus-daemon         ├─login───bash         ├─multipathd───6*[{multipathd}]         ├─networkd-dispat         ├─packagekitd───2*[{packagekitd}]         ├─polkitd───2*[{polkitd}]         ├─rsyslogd───3*[{rsyslogd}]         ├─snapd───8*[{snapd}]         ├─sshd───sshd───sshd───bash───pstree         ├─systemd───(sd-pam)         ├─systemd-journal         ├─systemd-logind         ├─systemd-network         ├─systemd-resolve         ├─systemd-timesyn───{systemd-timesyn}         ├─systemd-udevd         ├─unattended-upgr───{unattended-upgr}         └─vmtoolsd───{vmtoolsd}

   More options for pstree:

   Usage: pstree [-acglpsStuZ] [ -h | -H PID ] [ -n | -N type ]               [ -A | -G | -U ] [ PID | USER ]        pstree -V Display a tree of processes.    -a, --arguments     show command line arguments   -A, --ascii         use ASCII line drawing characters   -c, --compact       don't compact identical subtrees   -h, --highlight-all highlight current process and its ancestors   -H PID,   --highlight-pid=PID highlight this process and its ancestors   -g, --show-pgids    show process group ids; implies -c   -G, --vt100         use VT100 line drawing characters   -l, --long          don't truncate long lines   -n, --numeric-sort  sort output by PID   -N type,   --ns-sort=type      sort by namespace type (cgroup, ipc, mnt, net, pid,                                               user, uts)   -p, --show-pids     show PIDs; implies -c   -s, --show-parents  show parents of the selected process   -S, --ns-changes    show namespace transitions   -t, --thread-names  show full thread names   -T, --hide-threads  hide threads, show only processes   -u, --uid-changes   show uid transitions   -U, --unicode       use UTF-8 (Unicode) line drawing characters   -V, --version       display version information   -Z, --security-context                       show SELinux security contexts   PID    start at this PID; default is 1 (init)   USER   show only trees rooted at processes of this user

   Manual: pstree – display a tree of processes