---
name: "pidpersec-bpfcc"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "bpfcc-tools"
version: "0.31.0+ds-7"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pidpersec-bpfcc"
---

# pidpersec-bpfcc(8)

Count new processes (via fork()). Uses Linux eBPF/bcc.

## NAME

pidpersec - Count new processes (via fork()). Uses Linux eBPF/bcc.

## SYNOPSIS

**pidpersec**

## DESCRIPTION

pidpersec shows how many new processes were created each second. There can be performance issues caused by many short-lived processes, which may not be visible in sampling tools like [top(1)](/top/1.md). pidpersec provides one way to investigate this behavior.

This works by tracing the kernel sched\_fork() function using dynamic tracing, and will need updating to match any changes to this function.

Since this uses BPF, only the root user can use this tool.

## REQUIREMENTS

CONFIG\_BPF and bcc.

## EXAMPLES

- Count new processes created each second:

  \# **pidpersec**

## OVERHEAD

This traces the kernel fork function, and maintains an in-kernel count which is read asynchronously from user-space. As the rate of this is generally expected to be low (\<\< 1000/s), the overhead is also expected to be negligible.

## SOURCE

This is from bcc.

-

  https://github.com/iovisor/bcc

Also look in the bcc distribution for a companion \_examples.txt file containing example usage, output, and commentary for this tool.

## OS

Linux

## STABILITY

Unstable - in development.

## AUTHOR

Brendan Gregg

## SEE ALSO

[top(1)](/top/1.md)