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Linux fg Command: Restore Background Commands To Be Executed In The Foreground

The fg command in Linux is used to bring a background process or a stopped process to the foreground. It is a built-in command in most Linux shells, such as bash and zsh. When a process is running in the foreground, it takes control of the terminal, allowing the user to interact with it.

Here's a tutorial on the Linux fg command:

  1. Start a process in the background:

    To demonstrate the fg command, first, start a long-running process in the background. For example, run the sleep command in the background by appending an ampersand (&) at the end:

    sleep 300 &
    

    You will see a message indicating that the job has been started in the background with a job number and a process ID (PID).

  2. List background processes:

    Use the jobs command to list all background processes:

    jobs
    

    This will show you a list of background processes with their job numbers, status (running or stopped), and command.

  3. Bring a background process to the foreground:

    To bring a background process to the foreground, use the fg command followed by the job number. Replace N with the actual job number:

    fg %N
    

    The specified process will now run in the foreground, taking control of the terminal. If the process is interactive, you can interact with it as if it was started in the foreground initially.

  4. Stop a foreground process and move it to the background:

    While a process is running in the foreground, press Ctrl + Z to stop (suspend) the process and return control to the terminal. The process will be moved to the background in a stopped state.

    To resume the stopped process in the background, use the bg command followed by the job number:

    bg %N
    

    The process will resume running in the background, allowing you to continue using the terminal for other tasks.

By understanding the fg command and related commands such as jobs, bg, and process control keybindings, you can effectively manage foreground and background processes in your Linux shell environment.

  1. How to use fg command in Linux: The fg command in Linux is used to bring a background process to the foreground. To use fg:

    fg
    
  2. Bringing background processes to the foreground with fg: To bring a specific background process to the foreground, specify its job ID:

    fg %1
    

    Replace 1 with the job ID of the background process.

  3. Foreground execution of background commands in Linux: When running a command in the background using &, you can bring it to the foreground by using fg.

    command &
    fg
    
  4. Resuming suspended processes using fg: If a process is suspended (stopped), use fg to resume it:

    fg %1
    

    Replace 1 with the job ID of the suspended process.

  5. Interactive foreground execution with fg: When a background process requires user interaction, use fg to bring it to the foreground interactively:

    fg %1