FREE linux command manual

FREE(1)                       Linux User's Manual                      FREE(1)



NAME
       free - Display amount of free and used memory in the system

SYNOPSIS
       free [-b | -k | -m] [-o] [-s delay ] [-t] [-V]

DESCRIPTION
       free displays the total amount of free and used physical and swap mem-
       ory in the system, as well as the buffers used  by  the  kernel.   The
       shared memory column should be ignored; it is obsolete.

   Options
       The  -b  switch  displays the amount of memory in bytes; the -k switch
       (set by default) displays it in kilobytes; the -m switch  displays  it
       in megabytes.

       The -t switch displays a line containing the totals.

       The  -o  switch  disables the display of a "buffer adjusted" line.  If
       the -o option is not specified, free subtracts buffer memory from  the
       used memory and adds it to the free memory reported.

       The  -s  switch  activates continuous polling delay seconds apart. You
       may actually specify any floating point number for delay, usleep(3) is
       used for microsecond resolution delay times.

       The -V displays version information.

FILES
       /proc/meminfo-- memory information


SEE ALSO
       ps(1), top(1)


AUTHORS
       Written by Brian Edmonds.

       Send bug reports to 




Cohesive Systems                 20 Mar 1993                          FREE(1)