# pcp-free

## NAME



           **pcp-free** - report on free and used memory in the system
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **pcp**[_pcp options_] **free**[**-bkmgroltVw?**]  [**-c** _count_] [**-s** _interval_]
    


## DESCRIPTION



           **pcp-free** gives a summary display of the total amount of free and
           used physical memory and swap in the system, as well as the caches
           used by the kernel.
    
           When invoked via the pcp(1) command, the **-h** /**--host** , **-a** /**--archive** ,
           **-O** /**--origin** , **-s** /**--samples** , **-t** /**--interval** , **-Z** /**--timezone** and
           several other **pcp** _options_ become indirectly available, see
           PCPIntro(1) for their descriptions.
    
           The displayed columns are:
    
           **total** Total installed memory (MemTotal and SwapTotal in
                  /proc/meminfo)
    
           **used** Used memory (calculated as **total** - **free** - **buffers** - **cache**)
    
           **free** Unused memory (MemFree and SwapFree in /proc/meminfo)
    
           **shared** Memory used (mostly) by tmpfs (Shmem in /proc/meminfo)
    
           **buffers**
                  Memory used by kernel buffers (Buffers in /proc/meminfo)
    
           **cache** Memory used by the page cache and slabs (Cached and
                  SReclaimable in /proc/meminfo)
    
           **buff/cache**
                  Sum of **buffers** and **cache**
    
           **available**
                  Estimation of how much memory is available for starting new
                  applications, without swapping.  Unlike the data provided
                  by the **cache** or **free** fields, this field takes into account
                  page cache and also that not all reclaimable memory slabs
                  will be reclaimed due to items being in use (MemAvailable
                  in /proc/meminfo).
    


## OPTIONS



           The available command line options are:
    
           **-b** , **--bytes**
                Display the amount of memory in bytes.
    
           **-c** _count_ , **--samples** =_count_ , **--count** =_count_
                Terminate the display after _count_ iterations.  See also **-s**.
    
           **-g** , **--gigabytes**
                Display the amount of memory in gigabytes.
    
           **-k** , **--kilobytes**
                Display the amount of memory in kilobytes.  This is the
                default.
    
           **-l** , **--lohi**
                Display detailed low and high memory statistics.
    
           **-m** , **--megabytes**
                Display the amount of memory in megabytes.
    
           **-o** Disable the display of a "buffer adjusted" line.  If the **-o**
                option is not specified, **free** subtracts buffer memory from
                the used memory and adds it to the free memory reported.
    
           **-r** , **--terabytes**
                Display the amount of memory in terabytes.
    
           **-s** _delay_ , **--interval** =_delay_ , **--seconds** =_delay_
                Activate continuous polling _delay_ seconds apart.  You may
                specify any floating point number for _delay_ , or indeed any
                valid pmParseInterval(3) specification, which includes
                microsecond resolution delay times.  This can be used in
                conjunction with the **-c** option.
    
           **-t** , **--total**
                Display a line containing the totals.
    
           **-V** , **--version**
                Display version number and exit.
    
           **-w** , **--wide**
                Switch to the wide mode.  The wide mode produces lines longer
                than 80 characters.  In this mode **buffers** and **cache** are
                reported in two separate columns.
    
           **-?** , **--help**
                Display usage message and exit.
    


## NOTES



           **pcp-free** is inspired by the free(1) command and aims to be command
           line and output compatible with it.
    


## PCP ENVIRONMENT



           Environment variables with the prefix **PCP_** are used to
           parameterize the file and directory names used by PCP.  On each
           installation, the file _/etc/pcp.conf_ contains the local values for
           these variables.  The **$PCP_CONF** variable may be used to specify an
           alternative configuration file, as described in pcp.conf(5).
    
           For environment variables affecting PCP tools, see
           pmGetOptions(3).
    


* * *