time(C)                       06 January 1993                        time(C)


 Name

    time - time a command

 Syntax

    time command

 Description

    The given command is executed; after it is complete, time prints the time
    which elapsed during the command (real), the time spent executing the
    command in user mode (user), and the time spent executing the command in
    system mode (sys). Programs which execute a large number of system calls
    (for example, performing input and output) will spend a greater propor-
    tion of time in system mode than programs which spend most of their time
    number crunching or character processing. As the system becomes more
    heavily loaded with processes, the total elapsed time will grow faster
    than the user or system times for a given command.

    User and system times are reported in seconds and the elapsed time in
    minutes and seconds in csh(C).  The times are printed on the standard
    output.  The percentage of total CPU time taken by the command is also
    reported. The command time used with no argument returns the times for
    the current csh.

    All times are reported in minutes and seconds on the standard error in
    ksh(C).

    All times are reported in seconds on the standard error in sh(C).

 Notes

    This command is built into csh and ksh.

 See also

    csh(C), ksh(C) and times(S).

 Standards conformance

    time is conformant with:

    AT&T SVID Issue 2;
    and X/Open Portability Guide, Issue 3, 1989.