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
    Specify the process id; if none is given, the running process will be used.

--raw
    Use the raw output format.

--verbose
    Verbose mode.

-h, --help
    Display help text and exit.

-V, --version
    Print 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

- In memory of Dennis M. Ritchie.

SEE ALSO

ulimit(1p), prlimit(2)

REPORTING BUGS

For bug reports, use the issue tracker at

AVAILABILITY

The prlimit command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from