What is a job?¶

A job is a process that the shell manages. Each job is assigned a sequential job ID. Because a job is a process, each job has an associated PID. There are three types of job statuses:

Foreground¶

When you enter a command in a terminal window, the command occupies that terminal window until it completes. This is a foreground job.

Background¶

When you enter an ampersand (&) symbol at the end of a command line, the command runs without occupying the terminal window. The shell prompt is displayed immediately after you press Return. This is an example of a background job.

Stopped¶

If you press Control + Z for a foreground job, or enter the stop command for a background job, the job stops. This job is called a stopped job.

Commands¶

Job control commands enable you to place jobs in the foreground or background, and to start or stop jobs.

Note: The job control commands enable you to run and manage multiple jobs within a shell. However, you can use the job control commands only in the shell where the job was initiated.

Command	Description
jobs	List all jobs
bg <number>	Places the job (numbered) in the background
fg <number>	Brings the current or specified job into the foreground
ctrl+z	Stops the foreground job and places it in the background as a stopped job