smem is a command-line utility that is used to display memory usage statistics for processes on a Linux system. It is a versatile tool that can be used to analyze and monitor memory usage by individual processes, groups of processes, or the entire system.
Using smem, you can view detailed information about the memory usage of each process, including the amount of physical memory, shared memory, and swap space that is being used. You can also sort the output by various criteria, such as memory usage, process ID, or process name.
smem can be particularly useful in identifying memory leaks, which occur when a process continues to consume more and more memory over time, eventually leading to system instability or crashes. By monitoring memory usage over time with smem, you can identify processes that are consuming an excessive amount of memory and take steps to address the issue.
smem is also useful in system administration tasks, such as optimizing memory usage or identifying resource-intensive processes that are causing system slowdowns. Its ability to sort and filter output based on various criteria makes it a flexible tool that can be used in a variety of scenarios.
If you encounter the below error while running the command smem:
smem: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
| Debian | apt-get install smem |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install smem |
| Alpine | apk add smem |
| Arch Linux | pacman -S smem |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install smem |
| Fedora | dnf install smem |
| Raspbian | apt-get install smem |
smem Command Examples
1. Print memory usage for current processes:
# smem
2. Print memory usage for current processes for a every user on a system:
# smem --users
3. Print memory usage for current processes for a specified user:
# smem --userfilter username
4. Print system memory information:
# smem --system
Summary
In summary, smem is a powerful tool for analyzing and monitoring memory usage on a Linux system. Its ability to display detailed information about the memory usage of individual processes, groups of processes, or the entire system, as well as its sorting and filtering capabilities, make it a valuable tool for system administrators, developers, and anyone who needs to monitor memory usage on a Linux system.