bg command in Linux with Examples

bg command in linux is used to place foreground jobs in background.

Syntax:

bg [job_spec ...]

job_spec may be:

%n : Refer to job number n.
%str : Refer to a job which was started by a command beginning with str.
%?str : Refer to a job which was started by a command containing str.
%% or %+ : Refer to the current job. fg and bg will operate on this job if no job_spec is given.
%- : Refer to the previous job.

Options for bg command:

• bg [JOB_SPEC] : This command is used to put the mentioned job in background. In the below screenshot, we do following :
  1. We use jobs command to list all jobs
  2. We create a process using sleep command, we get its ID as 1.
  3. We put it in background by providing its ID to bg.

  
  ‘sleep 500’ is used to create dummy foreground job.

• bg –help : This command displays help information.