---
name: "trace-cmd-snapshot"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "trace-cmd"
version: "3.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/trace-cmd-snapshot"
---

# trace-cmd-snapshot(1)

take, reset, free, or show a Ftrace kernel snapshot

## NAME

trace-cmd-snapshot - take, reset, free, or show a Ftrace kernel snapshot

## SYNOPSIS

**trace-cmd snapshot** \[*OPTIONS*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The [trace-cmd(1)](/trace-cmd/1.md) snapshot controls or displays the Ftrace Linux kernel snapshot feature (if the kernel supports it). This is useful to "freeze" an instance of a live trace but without stopping the trace.

```
 trace-cmd start -p function
 trace-cmd snapshot -s
 trace-cmd snapshot
[ dumps the content of buffer at 'trace-cmd snapshot -s' ]
 trace-cmd snapshot -s
 trace-cmd snapshot
[ dumps the new content of the buffer at the last -s operation ]
```

## OPTIONS

- **-s**

  Take a snapshot of the currently running buffer.

- **-r**

  Clear out the buffer.

- **-f**

  Free the snapshot buffer. The buffer takes up memory inside the kernel. It is best to free it when not in use. The first -s operation will allocate it if it is not already allocated.

- **-c** *cpu*

  Operate on a per cpu snapshot (may not be fully supported by all kernels)

- **-B** *buf*

  If a buffer instance was created, then the **-B** option will operate on the snapshot within the buffer.

## SEE ALSO

[trace-cmd(1)](/trace-cmd/1.md), [trace-cmd-record(1)](/trace-cmd-record/1.md), [trace-cmd-report(1)](/trace-cmd-report/1.md), [trace-cmd-start(1)](/trace-cmd-start/1.md), [trace-cmd-extract(1)](/trace-cmd-extract/1.md), [trace-cmd-reset(1)](/trace-cmd-reset/1.md), [trace-cmd-split(1)](/trace-cmd-split/1.md), [trace-cmd-list(1)](/trace-cmd-list/1.md), [trace-cmd-listen(1)](/trace-cmd-listen/1.md)

## AUTHOR

Written by Steven Rostedt, \<**rostedt@goodmis.org**\[1\]\>

## RESOURCES

**https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/trace-cmd/trace-cmd.git/**

## COPYING

Copyright (C) 2010 Red Hat, Inc. Free use of this software is granted under the terms of the GNU Public License (GPL).

## NOTES

- 1\.

  rostedt@goodmis.org

  mailto:rostedt@goodmis.org