---
name: "perf_2.6.32-top"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "linux-tools-2.6.32"
version: "2.6.32-48squeeze6"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/perf_2.6.32-top"
---

# perf\_2.6.32-top(1)

System profiling tool.

## NAME

perf-top - System profiling tool.

## SYNOPSIS

```
perf top [-e <EVENT> | --event=EVENT] [<options>]
```

## DESCRIPTION

This command generates and displays a performance counter profile in realtime.

## OPTIONS

- \-a, --all-cpus

  System-wide collection. (default)

- \-c \<count\>, --count=\<count\>

  Event period to sample.

- \-C \<cpu\>, --CPU=\<cpu\>

  CPU to profile.

- \-d \<seconds\>, --delay=\<seconds\>

  Number of seconds to delay between refreshes.

- \-e \<event\>, --event=\<event\>

  Select the PMU event. Selection can be a symbolic event name (use *perf list* to list all events) or a raw PMU event (eventsel+umask) in the form of rNNN where NNN is a hexadecimal event descriptor.

- \-E \<entries\>, --entries=\<entries\>

  Display this many functions.

- \-f \<count\>, --count-filter=\<count\>

  Only display functions with more events than this.

- \-F \<freq\>, --freq=\<freq\>

  Profile at this frequency.

- \-i, --inherit

  Child tasks inherit counters, only makes sens with -p option.

- \-k \<path\>, --vmlinux=\<path\>

  Path to vmlinux. Required for annotation functionality.

- \-m \<pages\>, --mmap-pages=\<pages\>

  Number of mmapped data pages.

- \-p \<pid\>, --pid=\<pid\>

  Profile events on existing pid.

- \-r \<priority\>, --realtime=\<priority\>

  Collect data with this RT SCHED\_FIFO priority.

- \-s \<symbol\>, --sym-annotate=\<symbol\>

  Annotate this symbol. Requires -k option.

- \-v, --verbose

  Be more verbose (show counter open errors, etc).

- \-z, --zero

  Zero history across display updates.

## INTERACTIVE PROMPTING KEYS

\[d\]

Display refresh delay.

\[e\]

Number of entries to display.

\[E\]

Event to display when multiple counters are active.

\[f\]

Profile display filter (\>= hit count).

\[F\]

Annotation display filter (\>= % of total).

\[s\]

Annotate symbol.

\[S\]

Stop annotation, return to full profile display.

\[w\]

Toggle between weighted sum and individual count\[E\]r profile.

\[z\]

Toggle event count zeroing across display updates.

\[qQ\]

Quit.

Pressing any unmapped key displays a menu, and prompts for input.

## SEE ALSO

[**perf\_2.6.32-stat**(1)](/perf_2.6.32-stat/1.md), [**perf\_2.6.32-list**(1)](/perf_2.6.32-list/1.md)