-1, --percpustates
Display per-cpu states on a multi-processor machine.
-C, --color
Turn off the use of color in the display.
-I, --idle-procs
Do not display idle processes. By default, top displays both active and idle processes.
-S, --system-procs
Show system processes in the display. Normally, system processes such as the pager and the swapper are not shown. This option makes them visible.
-T, --tag-names
List all available color tags and the current set of tests used for color highlighting, then exit.
-a, --all
Show all processes for as long as possible. This is shorthand for "-d all all". This option is especially handy in batch mode.
-b, -n, --batch
Use "batch" mode. In this mode, all input from the terminal is ignored. Interrupt characters (such as ^C and ^\) still have an effect. This is the default on a dumb terminal, or when the output is not a terminal.
-c, --full-commands
Show the full command line for each process. Default is to show just the command name. This option is not supported on all platforms.
-i, --interactive
Use "interactive" mode. In this mode, any input is immediately read for processing. See the section on "Interactive Mode" for an explanation of which keys perform what functions. After the command is processed, the screen will immediately be updated, even if the command was not understood. This mode is the default when standard output is an intelligent terminal.
-q, --quick
Renice top to -20 so that it will run faster. This can be used when the system is being very sluggish to improve the possibility of discovering the problem. This option can only be used by root.
-t, --threads
Show individual threads on separate lines. By default, on systems which support threading, each process is shown with a count of the number of threads. This option shows each thread on a separate line. This option is not supported on all platforms.
-u, --uids
Do not take the time to map uid numbers to usernames. Normally, top will read as much of the file "/etc/passwd" as is necessary to map all the user id numbers it encounters into login names. This option disables all that, while possibly decreasing execution time. The uid numbers are displayed instead of the names.
-v, --version
Write version number information to stderr then exit immediately. No other processing takes place when this option is used. To see current revision information while top is running, use the help command "?".
-d count, --displays count
Show only count displays, then exit. A display is considered to be one update of the screen. This option allows the user to select the number of displays he wants to see before top automatically exits. Any proper prefix of the words "infinity", "maximum", or "all" can be used to indicate an infinite number of displays. The default for intelligent terminals is infinity. The default for dumb terminals is 1.
-m mode, --mode=mode
Start the display in an alternate mode. Some platforms support multiple process displays to show additional process information. The value mode is a number indicating which mode to display. The default is 0. On platforms that do not have multiple display modes this option has no effect.
-o field, --sort-order=field
Sort the process display area on the specified field. The field name is the name of the column as seen in the output, but in lower case. Likely values are "cpu", "size", "res", and "time", but may vary on different operating systems. Note that not all operating systems support this option.
-p pid, --pid=pid
Only display the specified pid.
-s time, --delay=time
Set the delay between screen updates to time seconds. The default delay between updates is nD seconds.
-U username, --user=username
Show only those processes owned by username. This option currently only accepts usernames and will not understand uid numbers.
Both count and number fields can be specified as "infinite", indicating that they can stretch as far as possible. This is accomplished by using any proper prefix of the keywords "infinity", "maximum", or "all". The default for count on an intelligent terminal is, in fact, infinity.
The environment variable TOP is examined for options before the command line is scanned. This enables a user to set his or her own defaults. The number of processes to display can also be specified in the environment variable TOP. The options -C, -I, -S, and -u are actually toggles. A second specification of any of these options will negate the first. Thus a user who has the environment variable TOP set to "-I" may use the command "top -I" to see idle processes.