UrbanPro

Learn Unix from the Best Tutors

  • Affordable fees
  • 1-1 or Group class
  • Flexible Timings
  • Verified Tutors

Search in

What is the difference between Unix's 'w' and 'who' commands?

Asked by Last Modified  

1 Answer

Learn Unix

Follow 1
Answer

Please enter your answer

Understanding the Difference: 'w' vs. 'who' Commands in Unix Overview: Unix commands play a crucial role in managing and extracting information from the system. Two commonly used commands, 'w' and 'who,' serve distinct purposes, providing insights into user activities. In Unix training, it's essential...
read more

Understanding the Difference: 'w' vs. 'who' Commands in Unix

Overview:

Unix commands play a crucial role in managing and extracting information from the system. Two commonly used commands, 'w' and 'who,' serve distinct purposes, providing insights into user activities. In Unix training, it's essential to grasp the nuances of these commands.

1. 'w' Command:

  • Functionality:

    • Displays information about currently logged-in users and their activities.
    • Offers a comprehensive overview, including login times, idle durations, and running processes.
  • Key Syntax:

    bash

 

  • w [options]
  • Usage:

    bash
  • w -h # Display header only w -u # Display information in a user-friendly format
  • Example Output:

    sql

 

  • 10:42 up 2 days, 1:32, 5 users, load averages: 0.45 0.67 0.82 USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE WHAT jdoe pts/0 192.168.1.2 08:30 2:15 vim

2. 'who' Command:

  • Functionality:

    • Provides a list of users currently logged into the system.
    • Displays basic information such as username, terminal, and login time.
  • Key Syntax:

    bash

 

  • who [options]
  • Usage:

    bash
  • who -q # Display only the number of logged-in users who -a # Show information about all users, including system users
  • Example Output:

    yaml

 

  • jdoe pts/0 2022-01-10 08:30 (192.168.1.2)

3. Differences:

  • The 'w' command provides detailed information about user activities, including processes, load averages, and idle times, whereas the 'who' command focuses on presenting a concise list of logged-in users.

  • 'w' is more comprehensive and suitable for monitoring active user sessions and their ongoing tasks, making it a preferred choice in scenarios where in-depth insights are required.

  • 'who,' on the other hand, is simpler and provides a quick snapshot of logged-in users, making it efficient for a brief overview of the system's user status.

Conclusion:

Understanding the distinctions between the 'w' and 'who' commands in Unix is crucial for effective system administration and monitoring. Incorporating both commands in your Unix training will empower you to navigate and manage user activities seamlessly.

 
read less
Comments

Related Questions

How to become a UNIX trainer in an institute. I have good experience in UNIX shell scripting. How do I apply for a trainer position in an institute.
Best would be create a profile on UrbanPro.com Attached your Syllabus and the real time experience you would be sharing. If possible try to update your account so that once the enquiry is made on UrbanPro...
Rahul Singh
0 0
6
My name is Rajesh , working as a Recruiter from past 6 years and thought to change my career into software (development / admin/ testing ) am seeking for some suggestion which technology I need to learn ? Any job after training ? Or where I can get job within 3 months after finishing my training programme- your advices are highly appreciated
Mr rajesh if you want to enter in to software Choose SAP BW AND SAP HANA because BW and HANA rules the all other erp tools next 50 years.it provides rubust reporting tools for quicker decesion of business It very easy to learn
Rajesh
1 0
6

Now ask question in any of the 1000+ Categories, and get Answers from Tutors and Trainers on UrbanPro.com

Ask a Question

Related Lessons

Unix Shell Scripting
UNIX Shell Scripting Unix – An Introduction:- Features & Advantages Unix Vs Linux Unix Architecture File Management Comparative study between Windows & Unix Vi Editor Unix –...

Recommended Articles

Hadoop is a framework which has been developed for organizing and analysing big chunks of data for a business. Suppose you have a file larger than your system’s storage capacity and you can’t store it. Hadoop helps in storing bigger files than what could be stored on one particular server. You can therefore store very,...

Read full article >

Almost all of us, inside the pocket, bag or on the table have a mobile phone, out of which 90% of us have a smartphone. The technology is advancing rapidly. When it comes to mobile phones, people today want much more than just making phone calls and playing games on the go. People now want instant access to all their business...

Read full article >

Information technology consultancy or Information technology consulting is a specialized field in which one can set their focus on providing advisory services to business firms on finding ways to use innovations in information technology to further their business and meet the objectives of the business. Not only does...

Read full article >

Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet tool which is commonly used for financial and statistical data processing. It has been developed by Microsoft and forms a major component of the widely used Microsoft Office. From individual users to the top IT companies, Excel is used worldwide. Excel is one of the most important...

Read full article >

Looking for Unix Training?

Learn from the Best Tutors on UrbanPro

Are you a Tutor or Training Institute?

Join UrbanPro Today to find students near you
X

Looking for Unix Classes?

The best tutors for Unix Classes are on UrbanPro

  • Select the best Tutor
  • Book & Attend a Free Demo
  • Pay and start Learning

Learn Unix with the Best Tutors

The best Tutors for Unix Classes are on UrbanPro

This website uses cookies

We use cookies to improve user experience. Choose what cookies you allow us to use. You can read more about our Cookie Policy in our Privacy Policy

Accept All
Decline All

UrbanPro.com is India's largest network of most trusted tutors and institutes. Over 55 lakh students rely on UrbanPro.com, to fulfill their learning requirements across 1,000+ categories. Using UrbanPro.com, parents, and students can compare multiple Tutors and Institutes and choose the one that best suits their requirements. More than 7.5 lakh verified Tutors and Institutes are helping millions of students every day and growing their tutoring business on UrbanPro.com. Whether you are looking for a tutor to learn mathematics, a German language trainer to brush up your German language skills or an institute to upgrade your IT skills, we have got the best selection of Tutors and Training Institutes for you. Read more