# procs — A Modern Replacement for ps Written in Rust

> procs is a colorized, human-friendly replacement for the classic ps command, with built-in tree view, column filters, Docker integration, and TCP/UDP port display.

## Install

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# procs — A Modern Replacement for ps Written in Rust

## Quick Use
```bash
brew install procs
# All processes, colorized
procs
# Only processes matching "node", with tree
procs --tree node
# Sort by memory desc, show TCP ports
procs --sorta rss --insert tcp
```

## Introduction
`ps aux` is ubiquitous but its columns, flags, and BSD/SysV dialects are a minefield. `procs` offers a single, consistent, colorized view of running processes with sensible defaults: human-readable CPU/RAM, hostname resolution for TCP sockets, Docker container mapping, and a keyword filter that actually works.

## What procs Does
- Lists processes with default columns: PID, user, RSS/VSZ, CPU, command.
- Filters by keyword, user, or PID range.
- Shows tree view with `--tree`.
- Inserts optional columns for TCP/UDP ports, Docker container, cgroup, ctxsw.
- Works on Linux, macOS, Windows.

## Architecture Overview
procs reads `/proc` on Linux, `sysctl` on macOS, and the Windows management APIs. Columns are declarative via `~/.config/procs/config.toml`, and the rendering pipeline tokenizes, sorts, and paints with `termcolor`. A single Rust binary means no Python/Perl runtime required.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via brew, cargo, apt, dnf, scoop, winget.
- `~/.config/procs/config.toml` customizes columns, colors, themes.
- Pager integration via `PAGER=less` or built-in `--pager`.
- JSON output for dashboards: `procs --json`.
- Works inside containers if `/proc` is mounted.

## Key Features
- Multi-OS (Linux, macOS, Windows) with consistent UX.
- Rich filters and sorting.
- Optional TCP/UDP port, Docker, cgroup columns.
- Tree view for parent/child exploration.
- Pager, watch mode (`--watch`), JSON export.

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **ps** — POSIX classic; cryptic flags.
- **htop** — interactive TUI with CPU bars; heavier.
- **btop** — even fancier TUI; same interactive niche.
- **pgrep/pkill** — purpose-built; procs covers both plus display.
- **glances** — Python monitor; slower startup.

## FAQ
**Q: Can it show Docker containers?**
A: Yes — `--insert docker` adds the container column.

**Q: Does it work in restricted containers?**
A: Requires `/proc` access; privileged containers or hostPID=true.

**Q: Watch mode rate?**
A: `--watch-interval 1` seconds.

**Q: Windows support?**
A: Yes — columns adapt to NT APIs.

## Sources
- https://github.com/dalance/procs

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/bcafd7b6-389d-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source