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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the free command do in Linux?
The free command displays the amount of physical memory and swap space available on a Linux system.
How do I interpret the output of the free command?
The output of the free command includes information about the total, used, and free memory, as well as the shared memory and buffers used by the kernel.
How does the free command display memory usage?
The free command shows the total amount of memory, the amount of memory used, and the amount of memory available for use by processes.
How does the free command differ from the top command in displaying memory usage?
The free command only displays memory usage information, while the top command shows both memory and CPU usage information.
What is the difference between total, used, and free memory as displayed by the free command?
The total memory is the amount of physical memory installed on the system. The used memory is the amount of memory currently in use by processes. The free memory is the amount of memory that is not in use and is available for use by processes.
Can I use the free command to troubleshoot memory issues on my Linux system?
Yes, the free command can be used to identify potential memory issues on a Linux system, as well as to monitor the system’s memory usage over time.