---
name: "nice"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "shell_cmds"
version: "329"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nice"
---

# nice(1)

execute a utility at an altered scheduling priority

## NAME

**nice** – execute a utility at an altered scheduling priority

## SYNOPSIS

**nice** \[**-n** *increment*\] *utility* \[*argument* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **nice** utility runs *utility* at an altered scheduling priority, by incrementing its “nice” value by the specified *increment*, or a default value of 10. The lower the nice value of a process, the higher its scheduling priority.

The superuser may specify a negative increment in order to run a utility with a higher scheduling priority.

Some shells may provide a builtin **nice** command which is similar or identical to this utility. Consult the [builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md) manual page.

## ENVIRONMENT

The PATH environment variable is used to locate the requested *utility* if the name contains no ‘/’ characters.

## EXIT STATUS

If *utility* is invoked, the exit status of **nice** is the exit status of *utility*.

An exit status of 126 indicates *utility* was found, but could not be executed. An exit status of 127 indicates *utility* could not be found.

## EXAMPLES

Execute utility ‘date’ at priority 5 assuming the priority of the shell is 0:

```
nice -n 5 date
```

Execute utility ‘date’ at priority -19 assuming the priority of the shell is 0 and you are the super-user:

```
nice -n 16 nice -n -35 date
```

## COMPATIBILITY

The traditional **-***increment* option has been deprecated but is still supported.

## SEE ALSO

[builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md), [csh(1)](/csh/1.md), [getpriority(2)](/getpriority/2.md), [setpriority(2)](/setpriority/2.md), [renice(8)](/renice/8.md)

## STANDARDS

The **nice** utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).

## HISTORY

A **nice** utility appeared in Version 4 AT&T UNIX.