nice(C)                         19 June 1992                         nice(C)


 Name

    nice - run a command at a different scheduling priority

 Syntax

    nice [ -increment ] command [ arguments ]

 Description

    The nice command is used to execute a command at a different scheduling
    priority than usual.  Each process has a ``nice value'' which is used to
    calculate its priority.  Nice values range from 0 to 39, with higher nice
    values resulting in lower priorities. By default, commands have a nice
    value of 20.  nice executes command with a nice value equal to 20 plus
    increment.  If no increment is given, an increment of 10 is assumed.

    The super user may run commands with priority higher than normal by using
    a double negative increment.  For example, an argument of --10 would
    decrement the default to produce a nice value of 10, which is a higher
    scheduling priority than the default of 20.

 See also

    csh(C), nice(S), nohup(C)

 Diagnostics

    nice returns the exit status of command.

 Notes

    If the default nice value plus increment is larger than 39, a nice value
    of 39 will be used.  If a nice value less than zero is requested, zero
    will be used.

    Note also that this description of nice applies only to programs run
    under the Bourne Shell.  The C-Shell has its own nice command, which is
    documented in csh(C).

 Standards conformance

    nice is conformant with:

    AT&T SVID Issue 2.