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atq

process managementlinux

The atq command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. atq The atq command lists the pending jobs for the at command scheduler. It displays the job number, date, hour, queue, and username for each scheduled task.

See Examples View Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

atq

Category:

process management

Platform:

linux

Basic Usage:

atq [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

1
Job queue monitoring
View pending jobs in the at queue
2
Task management
Monitor scheduled tasks and their execution status
3
System administration
Check what jobs are waiting to be executed
4
Queue maintenance
Review and manage the job queue

Syntax

atq [-V] [-q queue] [-v]

Options

Option	Description
-V	Display version information
-q queue	Show only jobs in the specified queue
-v	Show the time the job will be executed in a more verbose format
-u user	Show only jobs of the specified user (only available for privileged users)

Examples

How to Use These Examples

The examples below show common ways to use the atq command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

Basic Examples:

List all pending at jobs

atq

List jobs in a specific queue

atq -q a

List jobs with detailed information (verbose)

atq -v

Advanced Examples:

Filter jobs by username (requires root privileges)

sudo atq -u username

Combine with grep to filter by date

atq | grep "2023-07"

Output job queue as part of a script

atq > /tmp/scheduled_jobs.txt

Use with watch to monitor job queue in real-time

watch atq

Check if there are any jobs in the queue

if [ $(atq | wc -l) -gt 0 ]; then echo "Jobs are scheduled"; fi

Try It Yourself

Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

Understanding Syntax

Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

Notes

Understanding the Output:

The atq command displays each job on a separate line with the following information:

Job number - A unique identifier used to refer to the job (e.g., with atrm)
Date - When the job is scheduled to run
Hour - The time the job will execute
Queue - The queue the job is in (a single letter from a to z)
Username - The user who created the job

Usage Tips:

atq is equivalent to the command at -l
The job number shown by atq is needed for viewing job details (at -c job_number) or removing jobs (atrm job_number)
If no jobs are scheduled, atq will produce no output
The atd daemon must be running for at jobs to execute and for atq to function properly
Only root can see other users' jobs, regular users can only view their own jobs
Queues are used to set priorities, with 'a' being the highest priority and 'z' the lowest
The batch command schedules jobs in queue 'b' by default
Consider using at -c job_number to inspect the exact commands that will be executed for a specific job

Troubleshooting:

If atq returns nothing, it may indicate that no jobs are scheduled or that the atd daemon is not running
Check if the atd service is active using systemctl status atd
Verify permissions in /etc/at.allow and /etc/at.deny if you are unable to see expected jobs
If access is denied, you may not have permission to use the at facility
Use journalctl -u atd to check for any error messages related to the atd daemon

Common Use Cases

Job queue monitoring

View pending jobs in the at queue

Task management

Monitor scheduled tasks and their execution status

System administration

Check what jobs are waiting to be executed

Queue maintenance

Review and manage the job queue

Scheduling verification

Verify that tasks have been properly scheduled

Related Commands

These commands are frequently used alongside atq or serve similar purposes:

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Use Cases

1

Job queue monitoring

View pending jobs in the at queue

2

Task management

Monitor scheduled tasks and their execution status

3

System administration

Check what jobs are waiting to be executed

4

Queue maintenance

Review and manage the job queue

5

Scheduling verification

Verify that tasks have been properly scheduled

Learn By Doing

The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the atq command works in different scenarios.

See Examples Try Lab Exercises

$ atq

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