PRLIMIT(1) User Commands PRLIMIT(1)
NAME
prlimit - get and set process resource limits
SYNOPSIS
prlimit [options] [--resource[=limits]] [--pid PID]
prlimit [options] [--resource[=limits]] command [argument...]
DESCRIPTION
Given a process ID and one or more resources, prlimit tries to retrieve
and/or modify the limits.
When command is given, prlimit will run this command with the given
arguments.
The limits parameter is composed of a soft and a hard value, separated
by a colon (:), in order to modify the existing values. If no limits are
given, prlimit will display the current values. If one of the values is
not given, then the existing one will be used. To specify the unlimited
or infinity limit (RLIM_INFINITY), the -1 or 'unlimited' string can be
passed.
Because of the nature of limits, the soft limit must be lower or equal
to the high limit (also called the ceiling). To see all available
resource limits, refer to the RESOURCE OPTIONS section.
• soft:hard Specify both limits.
• soft: Specify only the soft limit.
• :hard Specify only the hard limit.
• value Specify both limits to the same value.
GENERAL OPTIONS
--noheadings
Do not print a header line.
-o, --output list
Define the output columns to use. If no output arrangement is
specified, then a default set is used. Use --help to get a list of
all supported columns.
-p, --pid PID
Specify the process ID. Without this option (and without a command),
the running process will be used.
--raw
Use the raw output format.
--verbose
Verbose mode.
-h, --help
Display help text and exit.
-V, --version
Display version and exit.
RESOURCE OPTIONS
-c, --core[=limits]
Maximum size of a core file.
-d, --data[=limits]
Maximum data size.
-e, --nice[=limits]
Maximum nice priority allowed to raise.
-f, --fsize[=limits]
Maximum file size.
-i, --sigpending[=limits]
Maximum number of pending signals.
-l, --memlock[=limits]
Maximum locked-in-memory address space.
-m, --rss[=limits]
Maximum Resident Set Size (RSS).
-n, --nofile[=limits]
Maximum number of open files.
-q, --msgqueue[=limits]
Maximum number of bytes in POSIX message queues.
-r, --rtprio[=limits]
Maximum real-time priority.
-s, --stack[=limits]
Maximum size of the stack.
-t, --cpu[=limits]
CPU time, in seconds.
-u, --nproc[=limits]
Maximum number of processes.
-v, --as[=limits]
Address space limit.
-x, --locks[=limits]
Maximum number of file locks held.
-y, --rttime[=limits]
Timeout for real-time tasks.
NOTES
The prlimit(2) system call is supported since Linux 2.6.36, older
kernels will break this program.
EXAMPLES
prlimit --pid 13134
Display limit values for all current resources.
prlimit --pid 13134 --rss --nofile=1024:4095
Display the limits of the RSS, and set the soft and hard limits for
the number of open files to 1024 and 4095, respectively.
prlimit --pid 13134 --nproc=512:
Modify only the soft limit for the number of processes.
prlimit --pid $$ --nproc=unlimited
Set for the current process both the soft and ceiling values for the
number of processes to unlimited.
prlimit --cpu=10 sort -u hugefile
Set both the soft and hard CPU time limit to ten seconds and run
sort(1).
AUTHORS
Davidlohr Bueso <dave@gnu.org> - In memory of Dennis M. Ritchie.
SEE ALSO
ulimit(1p), prlimit(2)
REPORTING BUGS
For bug reports, use the issue tracker
<https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues>.
AVAILABILITY
The prlimit command is part of the util-linux package which can be
downloaded from Linux Kernel Archive
<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/>.
util-linux 2.41 2025-02-26 PRLIMIT(1)
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