[Linux] Bash jobs uso: Manage background jobs in the shell

Overview

The jobs command in Bash is used to display the status of jobs that are running in the background or have been stopped in the current shell session. It provides information about each job, including its job number, status, and command line.

Usage

The basic syntax of the jobs command is as follows:

jobs [options]

Common Options

• -l: Show the process IDs (PIDs) of the jobs.
• -n: Show only jobs that have changed status since the last notification.
• -p: Display only the process IDs of the jobs.

Common Examples

Displaying Current Jobs

To see the list of current jobs running in the background:

jobs

Displaying Jobs with Process IDs

To display the jobs along with their process IDs:

jobs -l

Displaying Only Changed Jobs

To show only jobs that have changed status since the last command:

jobs -n

Displaying Only Process IDs

To list only the process IDs of the jobs:

jobs -p

Tips

• Use bg %job_number to resume a stopped job in the background.
• Use fg %job_number to bring a background job to the foreground.
• Remember that job numbers are specific to the current shell session; they may change if you open a new terminal or session.