# watch Cheatsheet - Cheatsheets - Launch Pad

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# watch Cheatsheet

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watch executes a command repeatedly and displays the output fullscreen. Useful for monitoring system resources, processes, logs, and other changing data in real-time.

## Basic Usage

- watch <command> - Execute command every 2 seconds

- watch -n <interval> <command> - Set update interval in seconds

- watch -d <command> - Highlight differences between updates

- watch -t <command> - No title bar

- watch -b <command> - Beep on command exit

- watch -e <command> - Exit on error

## Display Options

- watch -n <seconds> <command> - Update interval

- watch -d <command> - Highlight differences

- watch -d=cumulative <command> - Cumulative highlighting

- watch -t <command> - Turn off header

- watch -g <command> - Exit when output changes

- watch -c <command> - Interpret ANSI color codes

## Behavior Options

- watch -b <command> - Beep if command has non-zero exit

- watch -e <command> - Exit on error

- watch -p <command> - Precise timing (attempts to run at exact intervals)

- watch -x <command> - Execute command with execvp()

## Common Examples

### Basic Monitoring

    watch date

Watch date update every 2 seconds.

### Custom Interval

    watch -n 1 date

Update every 1 second.

### Highlight Differences

    watch -d ls -l

Highlight changes in directory listing.

### Monitor Processes

    watch -n 1 'ps aux | grep process'

Monitor specific processes.

### Monitor Disk Usage

    watch -n 5 df -h

Monitor disk usage every 5 seconds.

### Monitor Network

    watch -n 1 'netstat -tuln'

Monitor network connections.

### Monitor System Load

    watch -n 1 uptime

Monitor system load average.

### Monitor Memory

    watch -n 1 free -h

Monitor memory usage.

### Monitor Temperatures

    watch -n 1 sensors

Monitor hardware temperatures in real-time.

### No Title Bar

    watch -t date

Display without header.

### Exit on Change

    watch -g 'ls file.txt'

Exit when file appears.

## Tips

- Use -n to set custom update intervals (can use decimals like 0.5)

- Use -d to highlight what changes between updates

- Use -t to remove the header for cleaner output

- Use -g to exit when output changes (useful in scripts)

- Use quotes for complex commands: watch -n 1 'command with args'

- Combine with sensors to monitor temperatures: watch -n 1 sensors

- Use -c to preserve ANSI colors in output

- Use -p for precise timing when exact intervals matter

- Press Ctrl+C to exit watch

- Great for monitoring logs, processes, and system resources