Summarize system call counts, errors, and time for a program
Build a paste-ready command, then review its compatibility and effects before running it.
strace -c <executable>Complete required fields to copy the generated command.
cautionno known side effects Compatibility
Program executionThis runs the supplied executable under tracing. Use only a program whose normal behavior you understand.
Operational knowledgereview due 2027-01-19
Requirementsstracestrace must be installed and available on PATH.
Version supportstrace Current supported releasesVerified for linux using posix, bash, zsh syntax; consult compatibility notes for platform-specific differences.
Expected signals% time seconds usecs/call calls errors syscallRepresentative successful output; values vary with the selected target and system state.
Known errorsstrace: command not foundstrace is missing or is not available on PATH.
Verifystrace -c {{executable}}Re-run the corresponding read-only inspection and confirm the intended state.Rollback noteNo universal automatic rollback is available. Capture the current state and use the tool-specific recovery procedure before applying changes.
Command breakdown
01straceCommandRuns the strace stage of this one-liner.
02-cOptionSummarizes system-call counts, errors, and time instead of printing every call.
03<executable>ParameterA value supplied in the Fill parameters section.
Example input
strace -c /usr/bin/true
Example output
% time seconds usecs/call calls errors syscall
31.42 0.000060 7 8 mmap
18.32 0.000035 11 3 mprotect
12.57 0.000024 8 3 close
100.00 0.000191 31 1 total
Illustrative output — exact values vary by system and data.
Official sources
Related commands