watch
Execute a command repeatedly at intervals and display full-screen output.
Synopsis
watch [OPTION]... COMMAND
Examples
watch df -h
watch -n 1 'kubectl get pods'
watch -d free -m
watch -g 'ls /tmp/done'
Common options
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -n | Interval in seconds (default 2) |
| -d | Highlight differences between updates |
| -t | Turn off header |
| -g | Exit when output changes |
| -c | Interpret ANSI color sequences |
About watch
The `watch` command execute a command repeatedly at intervals and display full-screen output. Process management commands let you monitor, control, and schedule running processes.
Linux is a multitasking operating system, and understanding how to list processes, send signals, adjust priorities, and manage background jobs is vital for system administration and debugging performance issues. The command accepts 5 commonly used flags shown above, though the full set of options is available in the man page (`man watch`).
The 4 examples on this page cover typical real-world usage patterns that you can copy and adapt for your own workflows.
Related commands
More Process Management Commands
Other commands in the Process Management category