How to use the command 'bg' (with examples)

The ‘bg’ command is used to resume jobs that have been suspended, typically by using the ‘Ctrl + Z’ key combination, and keeps them running in the background. This command is useful when you have paused a task and want to continue it without bringing it back to the foreground.

Use case 1: Resume the most recently suspended job and run it in the background

Code:

bg

Motivation: You have paused a task using ‘Ctrl + Z’ and now you want to resume it and continue its execution in the background, without bringing it back to the foreground. Using ‘bg’ is a quick and convenient way to achieve this.

Explanation: The command ‘bg’ is used without any arguments. It simply resumes the most recently suspended job and runs it in the background. This means that the job will continue execution while allowing you to work on other tasks in the foreground.

Example output: Assuming you have a single suspended job, running ‘bg’ will resume it and display a message indicating that the job has been moved to the background. For example:

[1]+  Stopped                 command_name

Use case 2: Resume a specific job and run it in the background

Code:

bg %job_id

Motivation: You have multiple suspended jobs and you want to choose a specific job to resume and run it in the background. The ‘bg’ command allows you to specify the job ID and resume that particular job.

Explanation: The command ‘bg’ needs an argument in the form of ‘%job_id’, where ‘job_id’ is the ID of the specific job you want to resume. You can use the ‘jobs -l’ command to list all the jobs and their IDs. By providing the appropriate ‘job_id’, you can select a particular job to resume in the background.

Example output: Assuming you have multiple suspended jobs and you want to resume the job with ID 2. Running ‘bg %2’ will resume the desired job and display a message indicating that the job has been moved to the background. For example:

[2]+  Stopped                 command_name

Conclusion:

The ‘bg’ command is a useful tool for resuming suspended jobs and running them in the background. Whether you want to resume the most recently suspended job or a specific job, ‘bg’ provides a convenient way to achieve that. By using this command, you can efficiently manage and continue your tasks without interrupting your workflow.