How to View Cgroup Info in Htop on Ubuntu
This guide explains how to inspect control group (cgroup) data for specific processes using the htop system monitor on Ubuntu. You will learn how to configure htop columns to display cgroup paths, enabling better resource management and troubleshooting for containerized or systemd-managed applications.
Install and Launch Htop
Ensure htop is installed on your Ubuntu system. Open your terminal and run the following command:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install htopOnce installed, launch the tool by typing htop in the
terminal and pressing Enter.
Configure Display Columns
By default, htop may not show cgroup information. To enable this
view, press the F2 key to open the Setup menu. Navigate to
the Columns tab using the arrow keys or mouse.
In the available columns list on the left, scroll down until you find
CGROUP. Select it and press the + key or click
the add button to move it to the active columns list on the right. Use
the F5 key or the arrow buttons to arrange the order if
desired. Press F10 or click Done to save
changes and return to the main view.
Interpret Cgroup Data
The main screen now displays a CGROUP column for each
process. This field shows the hierarchy path assigned to the process.
For systemd services, you will see paths starting with
/user.slice or /system.slice. For Docker or
Kubernetes containers, the path typically includes /docker
or /kubepods.
You can sort processes by this column by pressing F6,
selecting CGROUP, and pressing Enter. This groups related
processes together, making it easier to analyze resource usage per
container or service unit.
Verify with Command Line
If you need to cross-reference the information seen in htop, you can
view the cgroup details for a specific process ID (PID) directly from
the terminal. Run the following command, replacing
<PID> with the actual process ID:
cat /proc/<PID>/cgroupThis output should match the path displayed in the htop CGROUP column, confirming the process membership within the system control groups.