Understanding Isof (List Open Files)
lsof command stands for List Open Files. This command provides a list of files that are opened. Basically, it gives the information to find out the files which are opened by which process. With one go it lists out all open files in output console. It cannot only list common regular files but it can list a directory, a block special file, a shared library, a character special file, a regular pipe, a named pipe, an internet socket, a UNIX domain socket, and many others. it can be combined with grep command can be used to do advanced searching and listing.
How to List Open Files in Linux | lsof Command
In the world of Linux, understanding and managing open files is crucial for system administrators and users alike. The Linux operating system provides a powerful utility called lsof
(List Open Files) that allows users to gain insights into the files currently open on their system. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of the lsof
command, exploring its syntax, options, and practical use cases.
Linux/Unix consider everything as file and maintains folder. So “Files or a File” is very important in Linux/Unix. While working in Linux/Unix system there might be several file and folder which are being used, some of them would be visible and some not.
Table of Content
- Understanding Isof (List Open Files)
- Syntax of List Open Files `lsof`
- Options Available in lsof Command
- Pratical Example of How to List Open File in Linux
- 1. How to list all open files on the system
- 2. How to show file opened by a particular user
- 3. How to List all files which are opened by everyone except a specific user
- 4. How to list all open files by a particular process
- 5. How to List all open files that are opened by a particular process ID
- 6. Files opened by all other PID
- 7. How to List parent process IDs
- 8. How to list all opened files opened by a directory
- 9. How to open Files by network connections