Unix/Linux Job Control Command List

The following table lists the basic Unix/Linux job control commands:

Command Explanation Example
&
Run the command in the background
 % long_cmd &
Ctrl-z Stop the foreground process [Ctrl-z] Stopped
jobs List background processes % jobs [1] - Stopped vi [2] - big_job &
%n
Refers to the background number n
 % fg %1
%?str
Refers to the background job containing str
 % fg %?ls
bg
Restart a stopped background process
 % bg [2] big_job &
fg
Bring a background process to the foreground
 % fg %1
kill Kill a process % kill %2
~ Ctrl-z
Suspend an rlogin or ssh session
 host2>~[Ctrl-z] Stopped host1>
~~ Ctrl-z
Suspend a second level rlogin or ssh session
 host3>~~[Ctrl-z] Stopped host2>

This table is adapted from Essential System
Administration, by Aeleen Frisch, copyright 1995, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc.