How Can I Efficiently List Running Processes and Their Open Files on Linux Without Directly Accessing `/proc`?

Listing Running Processes and Open Files on Linux

Listing running processes on a Linux system is a common task for system administrators and developers alike. However, most solutions available require reading the /proc/ file system directly, which can be error-prone and inefficient.

Avoiding Direct /proc/ File System Access

To avoid the drawbacks of direct /proc/ file system access, alternative approaches can be explored:

1. Procps-ng Library (libproc)

Procps-ng is a robust suite of process monitoring tools that includes the procps library (libproc). This library provides a comprehensive API for obtaining information about running processes, including open files. It can be downloaded from GitLab:

• Source: https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps
• Readproc API: https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps/-/blob/master/library/readproc.c

2. libproc Header

Most Linux distributions include a library called libproc that provides an API similar to procps-ng. The file /proc/readproc.c in the procps-ng source code provides a useful reference for understanding how to use this library.

Usage Example

To use either of these APIs, you can follow a general process:

1. Include the necessary header files.
2. Open a connection to the process list.
3. Loop through the processes, gathering information such as process ID, name, open files, etc.
4. Close the connection.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:

• [procps-ng Documentation](https://www.gnu.org/software/procps/)
• [libproc Manual Page](https://linux.die.net/man/3/getproc)

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