---
name: "nice"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nice"
---

# nice(1)

execute a utility with an altered scheduling priority

## NAME

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

## SYNOPSIS

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

## DESCRIPTION

**nice** runs *utility* at an altered scheduling priority. If an *increment* is given, it is used; otherwise an increment of 10 is assumed. The superuser can run utilities with priorities higher than normal by using a negative *increment*. The priority can be adjusted over a range of -20 (the highest) to 20 (the lowest).

The options are as follows:

- **-n** *increment*

  A positive or negative decimal integer used to modify the system scheduling priority of *utility*.

## EXIT STATUS

The **nice** utility exits with one of the following values:

- 1-125

  An error occurred.

- 126

  The *utility* was found but could not be invoked.

- 127

  The *utility* could not be found.

Otherwise, the exit status of **nice** shall be that of *utility*.

## SEE ALSO

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

## STANDARDS

The **nice** utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.

The historic **-***increment* option has been deprecated but is still supported in this implementation.

**nice** also exists as a built-in to [csh(1)](/csh/1.md), though with a different syntax.

## HISTORY

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