NICE(1)

NAME
nice - execute a command at a low scheduling priority

SYNOPSIS
nice [-number] command [arguments]

DESCRIPTION
Nice runs command at a low priority. (Think of low and slow). If -number is specified, and if it is greater than or equal to 10 (the default), nice will execute command at that priority. The upper bound, or lowest priority that nice will run a command is 20. The lower bounds or higher priorities (integers less than 10) can only be requested by the super-user. Negative numbers are expressed as --number.

The returned exit status is the exit value from the command executed by nice.

SEE ALSO
csh(1), renice(8)

HISTORY
A nice command appeared in AT&T UNIX.

BUGS
Nice is particular to sh(1). If you use csh(1), then commands executed with ``&'' are automatically immune to hangup signals while in the background.

Nice is built into csh(1) with a slightly different syntax than described here. The form ‘nice +10’ nices to positive nice, and ‘nice -10’ can be used by the super-user to give a process more of the processor.