---
title: "The 2023 Linux Launchpad: Part 4 - The Mechanic"
description: "Part 4 of the Linux Launchpad series. A server is a living engine. Processes stall, memory leaks, and disks fill up. Learn top, df, free, ps, and kill."
canonical: "https://zainahmed.net/blog/linux-launchpad-4-the-mechanic"
published: "2023-01-26"
---

# The 2023 Linux Launchpad: Part 4 - The Mechanic

> Author: Zain Ahmed
> Published: 2023-01-26
> Read Time: 1 min read
> Category: Linux
> Tags: Linux, Terminal, Beginner, System Administration
> Canonical URL: https://zainahmed.net/blog/linux-launchpad-4-the-mechanic

## Excerpt
Part 4 of the Linux Launchpad series. A server is a living engine. Processes stall, memory leaks, and disks fill up. Learn top, df, free, ps, and kill.

---

## The Why
A server is a living engine. Processes stall, memory leaks, and disks fill up. You must be the mechanic who can pop the hood and diagnose the engine while it's running 5,000 RPM.

## The Commands

### 1. `top` / `htop`
The Dashboard. Shows CPU usage, Memory, and running processes in real-time.

```bash
zain@linux:~$ top
# Press 'q' to exit
```

### 2. `df -h` (Disk Free)
How much space do I have left? The `-h` flag makes it "human-readable" (GB instead of bytes).

```bash
zain@linux:~$ df -h
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1        50G   25G   25G  50% /
```

### 3. `free -m`
Show me the RAM. Displays used and free memory in Megabytes.

```bash
zain@linux:~$ free -m
```

### 4. `ps aux`
List every single running process on the system.

```bash
zain@linux:~$ ps aux | grep firefox
```

### 5. `kill`
Terminate a frozen or rogue process using its PID (Process ID).

```bash
zain@linux:~$ kill 1234
# Forcing it to die:
zain@linux:~$ kill -9 1234
```

## Try It Yourself
1. run `top` and identify the process using the most CPU.
2. Check your disk space: `df -h`.
3. Check your memory usage: `free -m`.
4. Find the PID of your shell: `ps aux | grep bash`.

---

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