Linux Pocket Guide

Name

w [username] — procps

Synopsis

/usr/bin stdin stdout - file -- opt --help --version

The w command displays the current process for each logged-in user, or more specifically, for each shell of each user:

$ w
 10:51pm  up 8 days,  3:42,  8 users,
 load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
USER    TTY   FROM  LOGIN@  IDLE   JCPU   PCPU  WHAT
barrett pts/0 :0    Sat 2pm 27:13m 0.07s  0.07s emacs
jones   pts/1 host1 6Sep03   2:33m 0.74s  0.21s bash
smith   pts/2 host2 6Sep03   0.00s 13.35s 0.04s w

The top line is the same one printed by uptime. The columns indicate the user’s terminal, originating host or X display (if applicable), login time, idle time, two measures of the CPU time (run man w for details), and the current process. Provide a username to see only that user’s information.

For the briefest output, try w -hfs.

Useful options
-h	Don’t print the header line.
-f	Don’t print the FROM column.
-s	Don’t print the JCPU and PCPU columns.