Operating Systems · Chapter 16

Linux Process Explorer

Explore a simulated Linux process table and connect command-line tools such as ps, top, and /proc to kernel process concepts.

Process Table

PIDPPIDUSERSTATCPU%MEM%COMMAND

Process Tree

Command Output

Selected Process

PID / PPID–
User / State–
CPU / Memory–
Command–

File Descriptors

Memory Map

Concept Guide

PID: unique process identifier. PPID: identifier of the parent process.

Process tree: shows how processes are created from parent processes, often starting from PID 1.

/proc/<pid>: a virtual filesystem interface exposing process state, memory mappings, open file descriptors, command-line arguments, and more.

File descriptors: small integers referring to open files, pipes, sockets, terminals, and other I/O objects.

Memory map: regions such as executable text, heap, shared libraries, memory-mapped files, and stack.

This page simulates Linux concepts and command output. It does not inspect or control the visitor's actual operating system.