NICE(1) | General Commands Manual | NICE(1)

# NAME

`nice` — execute a utility with an altered scheduling priority

# SYNOPSIS

`nice` | [`-n` increment] utility [argument ...]

# DESCRIPTION

`nice` runs utility at an altered scheduling priority. If an increment is given, it is used; otherwise an increment of 10 is assumed. The superuser can run utilities with priorities higher than normal by using a negative increment. The priority can be adjusted over a range of -20 (the highest) to 20 (the lowest).

The options are as follows:

`-n` increment
  A positive or negative decimal integer used to modify the system scheduling priority of utility.

# EXIT STATUS

The `nice` utility exits with one of the following values:

1-125
  An error occurred.
126
  The utility was found but could not be invoked.
127
  The utility could not be found.

Otherwise, the exit status of `nice` shall be that of utility.

# SEE ALSO

csh(1), getpriority(2), renice(8)

# STANDARDS

The `nice` utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.

The historic `-`increment option has been deprecated but is still supported in this implementation.

`nice` also exists as a built-in to csh(1), though with a different syntax.

# HISTORY

A `nice` utility appeared in Version 4 AT&T UNIX.

February 8, 2020 | Debian