What is the function of the fuser command in Linux?

9 months ago

Benjamin Taylor

2 minutes

The fuser command is a tool in Linux systems used to determine which processes are accessing a specified file, directory, or socket. It displays the PID (Process ID) of the processes currently using the file. By examining this information, you can understand which processes may be impacting operations on the file or directory.

Here are some common fuser command options:

-v: Display detailed information, including the name of the process and the user.
-m: Specify a mount point and check all files on that mount point.
-k: Terminate the process accessing the file. Use this option with caution as forcing the process to end may result in data loss or instability.

You can use the man fuser command to find more detailed information and usage instructions about the fuser command.