macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install procpslocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 7122
Install procps with Homebrew, apt, Nix, zypper, dnf, pacman, winget
Utilities for browsing procfs. Version 4.0.7 via Homebrew; verified 2026-08-12. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install libproc2-0.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install procpsDebian stable package indexes · procps · source: deb.debian.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#procpsnixpkgs package indexes · procps · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install procpsopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · procps · source: download.opensuse.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install procps-ngFedora Rawhide package metadata · procps-ng · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S procps-ngArch Linux sync databases · procps-ng · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Windows
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id PlayStation.PSPlus -eWindows Package Manager source index · PlayStation.PSPlus · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Utilities for browsing procfs
Project links
Commands and aliases
- free
- hugetop
- pidwait
- pmap
- ps
- pwdx
- slabtop
- sysctl
- tload
- top
- vmstat
- w
history
Project history and usage
procps-ng is the principal Linux collection of command-line and full-screen tools for inspecting processes and other state exposed through procfs.
Project history
procps is the long-running family of Linux utilities built around procfs, the kernel-generated pseudo-filesystem exposing process and system state. The modern procps-ng line continued this work as a distribution-backed fork, modernizing commands and the supporting process library.
The procps-ng repository records extensive modernization of free, ps, and top, including cgroup fields, improved process-library APIs, hot-plugged CPU support, richer top navigation, and performance work.
Adoption history
The official NEWS file describes procps-ng as a fork maintained across the Debian, Fedora, and openSUSE communities. The supplied facts additionally show packages in Homebrew, Nix, Arch Linux, Ubuntu, and openSUSE-related ecosystems.
The suite's ps, top, free, vmstat, pgrep, pkill, sysctl, and related commands have become routine parts of Linux administration, scripts, diagnostics, and incident response.
How it is used
Administrators use ps and top to inspect processes, free and vmstat for memory and system activity, pmap and pwdx for per-process details, pgrep and pkill for selection and signaling, and sysctl for kernel parameters. Many tools work directly from procfs and are therefore Linux-specific.
Why package nerds care
procps-ng is foundational Linux userland: package maintainers must coordinate command compatibility, procfs and kernel changes, localization, manual pages, and the libproc API. It also illustrates how distributions can jointly sustain a fork of an essential but historically fragmented utility collection.
The package is unusually visible because users often think of its commands as inherent parts of Linux rather than executables supplied by one independently versioned package.
Timeline
- Before procps-ng: The procps family established familiar Linux commands including ps, top, free, and vmstat.
- 2011–2012 era: Distribution maintainers developed procps-ng as the next-generation fork of procps.
- 2015: The current official GitLab project was created.
- 2022: Maintained project documentation was consolidated under the doc directory.
Related projects
- Linux procfs
- ps
- top
- util-linux
- psmisc
- systemd
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 2 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 5 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Linux
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/procps/toprc~/.config/procps/toprc~/.toprc/etc/sysctl.conf/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
free | cli | global executable | |
hugetop | cli | global executable | |
pidwait | cli | global executable | |
pmap | cli | global executable | |
ps | cli | global executable | |
pwdx | cli | global executable | |
slabtop | cli | global executable | |
sysctl | cli | global executable | |
tload | cli | global executable | |
top | cli | global executable | |
vmstat | cli | global executable | |
w | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-09-19
manager version4.0.7
manager updated2026-08-12
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procpsnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:procps |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.0.7 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/procps |
| Homepage | https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps |
| Upstream docs | https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps/-/archive/v4.0.7/procps-v4.0.7.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-08-12T15:27:56Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | ncurses |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake, gettext, libtool, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | procps |
| Aliases |
|
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Requirements |
|
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
libproc2-0 2:4.0.4-9
library for accessing process information from /proc
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install libproc2-0- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: procps
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Debian apt95%
libproc2-dev 2:4.0.4-9
library for accessing process information from /proc
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install libproc2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: procps
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Debian apt95%
procps 2:4.0.4-9
/proc file system utilities
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install procps- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 2 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Nix95%
procps
nix profile install nixpkgs#procps- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Ubuntu apt95%
libproc2-0 2:4.0.4-4ubuntu3
library for accessing process information from /proc
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install libproc2-0- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: procps
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Ubuntu apt95%
libproc2-dev 2:4.0.4-4ubuntu3
library for accessing process information from /proc
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install libproc2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: procps
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
Ubuntu apt95%
procps 2:4.0.4-4ubuntu3
/proc file system utilities
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo apt install procps- Section: admin
- Architecture: amd64
- 6 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
dnf95%
procps-ng 4.0.7-1.fc46
System and process monitoring utilities
https://sourceforge.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo dnf install procps-ng- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: procps-ng
- 7 dependencies
- 6 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
pacman95%
procps-ng 4.0.7-1
Utilities for monitoring your system and its processes
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
sudo pacman -S procps-ng- License: GPL AND LGPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 4 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
zypper95%
libproc2-1 4.0.7-1.1
The procps library
https://sf.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo zypper install libproc2-1- License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: System/Libraries
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: procps
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
zypper95%
procps 4.0.7-1.1
The ps utilities for /proc
https://sf.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo zypper install procps- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: System/Monitoring
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: procps
- 5 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
zypper95%
procps-devel 4.0.7-1.1
Development files for procps
https://sf.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo zypper install procps-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: Development/Libraries/C and C++
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: procps
- 2 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
zypper95%
procps-lang 4.0.7-1.1
Translations for package procps
https://sf.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo zypper install procps-lang- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: System/Localization
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: procps
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
zypper95%
procps-uptime 4.0.7-1.1
Provide the /proc based uptime
https://sf.net/projects/procps-ng/
sudo zypper install procps-uptime- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Category: System/Monitoring
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: procps
- 2 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Procps
winget92%
PlayStation.PSPlus
winget install --id PlayStation.PSPlus -e- installed executable or alias match
- Matched by: Ps
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation