Home/ Questions/Q 13442
Next
In Process

askthedev.com Latest Questions

Asked: 2024-09-26T22:31:48+05:30 In:

How can I execute applications in the background using the terminal in Ubuntu?

I’ve been trying to figure out how to run applications in the background using the terminal on my Ubuntu system, but I keep hitting a wall with it. I mean, I love being able to multitask, especially when I’m deep into coding or working on various projects. But every time I try to launch an app from the terminal, it hogs my entire terminal window, and I can’t do anything else until it’s closed.

I remember reading somewhere that you can run processes in the background, but every time I attempt it, I end up with a jumbled mess of commands in my terminal. I don’t want to just shove everything off to the side and forget about it; I really need to keep an eye on the output as well.

So, here’s the deal: I want to launch a couple of different applications, maybe a text editor and a file manager, simultaneously while still having the flexibility to run commands in the terminal without interruption. It seems like a simple task, but for some reason, it’s eluding me. I’ve tried using the ampersand (&) at the end of commands, but I’m not totally sure if that’s the best approach or if there’s more to it than that.

Also, what about keeping these applications running even if I close the terminal? I’ve heard something about using “nohup” or “disown,” but I’m not too sure how those fit into the picture. I’d love to know what the best practices are, or if there’s perhaps a better way to achieve this whole background execution thing.

It would be great if anyone could share their tips, tricks, or even examples of commands that work for them. Maybe even a step-by-step guide on how to set this up would be a huge help! I really want to streamline my workflow and make multitasking on my Ubuntu setup a breeze, so any insights would be greatly appreciated!

Share

    Leave an answer

    You must login to add an answer.

    Need An Account,

    2 Answers



    1. Running Applications in the Background on Ubuntu

      Running Applications in the Background on Ubuntu

      If you’re looking to run applications from the terminal but want to keep your terminal free for other commands, you’re in the right place! Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to multitasking while keeping an eye on your app outputs.

      1. Running Applications in the Background

      To start an application in the background, you can simply add an & at the end of your command. This tells the terminal to run the command in the background and gives you back control of the prompt. For example:

      gedit &

      This launches Gedit (a text editor) and you can continue using the terminal.

      2. Keeping Track of Outputs

      Since you want to keep an eye on the output, you can redirect the output to a file. For example:

      gedit > gedit_output.txt 2>&1 &

      This will save the output and errors in gedit_output.txt while Gedit runs in the background.

      3. Staying Active After Closing Terminal

      If you want to leave applications running even after you close the terminal, you can use nohup. It stands for “no hang up,” and it does exactly that! Here’s how to use it:

      nohup gedit > gedit_output.txt 2>&1 &

      This command will let Gedit keep running after the terminal is closed.

      4. Disowning a Process

      If you’ve started a process and you change your mind and don’t want it to stop when you close the terminal, you can “disown” it. First, start your app normally:

      gedit

      Then press Ctrl + Z to pause it and type:

      bg

      This sends it to the background. Then type:

      disown

      Now you can close the terminal and Gedit will keep running!

      5. Summary

      So, to recap:

      • Use & to run programs in the background.
      • Redirect output with > your_output_file.txt 2>&1 to keep track of what’s happening.
      • Use nohup to prevent apps from closing when the terminal does.
      • Use disown to detach running processes from the terminal.

      Happy multitasking!



    2. To run applications in the background on your Ubuntu system via the terminal, you can indeed use the ampersand (&) at the end of your command. This allows the application to start in the background without taking up your terminal space, enabling you to continue using it for other commands. For example, you can launch a text editor and a file manager simultaneously like so: `gedit &` for your text editor and `nautilus &` for your file manager. By adding & to the end of each command, they will run in the background, and you will see their process IDs (PIDs) in the terminal, making it easy to keep track of multiple running applications. However, do note that the output of these applications will still print to your terminal, which can create some visual clutter.

      If you want to keep applications running after closing the terminal, `nohup` and `disown` are effective tools. `nohup` (no hang-up) allows you to run a command that will ignore hangup signals and can also redirect its output to a file if you prefer not to see it in the terminal. For example, you could run `nohup gedit &`, which will let Gedit keep running even after you log out from the terminal. `disown` can be used after starting a command in the background to remove it from the shell’s job table, and it ensures that the process continues to run independently of the terminal. To do this, start your application as before (e.g., `gedit &`), then type `disown`, which will disassociate the most recent background job from the terminal. Incorporating these practices into your workflow will greatly enhance your ability to multitask on your Ubuntu setup.


    Related Questions