system · Command reference

`qzx listProcesses`

What it does

Lists running processes with real CPU usage sampled over 0.5 s (similar to 'ps'/'top')

Command maturity: Alpha

Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve. This is the current development-checkout assessment. Every future immutable release tag preserves the exact assessment shipped by that version. Available in PyPI 0.2.2.0.15. This page documents the 0.2.2.0.15 alpha development checkout.

Behavior and built-in protections

Inspects without changing state

Direct execution for this operation

Works without invoking native programs

Works without network access

No elevation required by design

This safety classification was reviewed by Claude Opus 5.5 (Anthropic) against implementation digest sha256:58478fcdbdbcce78b8e761988b1c996b7e540fedca13b51c2ee70ed4ffea327b on 2026-10-08.

Exact syntax

qzx listProcesses [filter_str] [sort_by] [limit] --json

Parameters

Swipe or use the horizontal scrollbar to see every column.

Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
filter_str	str	No	Not declared	Optional string to filter process names
sort_by	str	No	"cpu"	Field to sort results by (pid, cpu, memory, name)
limit	int	No	25	Maximum number of processes to return (default 25; 0 or null returns every process)

Input examples

qzx listProcesses

List the 25 processes using the most CPU right now

qzx listProcesses python

List processes containing "python" in their name

qzx listProcesses null memory 10

List the top 10 processes by memory usage

qzx listProcesses null pid 0

List every running process ordered by PID

For the complete structured payload, add --json: qzx listProcesses [filter_str] [sort_by] [limit] --json

Representative output example

This illustrative JSON is derived from the current implementation-backed result contract. It shows what the command can return without claiming a recorded execution; values vary with inputs, host, permissions, and optional tools.

Example command: qzx listProcesses --json

{
    "success": true,
    "message": "Lists running processes with real CPU usage sampled over 0.5 s (similar to 'ps'/'top'). In this illustrative example, the command completed successfully.",
    "meta": {
        "command": "listProcesses",
        "command_maturity": {
            "stage": "alpha",
            "label": "Alpha",
            "sequence": 2,
            "public_executable": true,
            "stability": "interface_may_change",
            "summary": "Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve.",
            "promotion_review_required": false,
            "assessment_scope": "development_checkout"
        },
        "duration_ms": 0,
        "schema_version": 1
    },
    "collection_method": "Example value",
    "cpu_percent_scale": "Example value",
    "cpu_sample_seconds": [
        {
            "name": "example",
            "status": "ok"
        }
    ],
    "displayed_processes": [
        {
            "name": "example",
            "status": "ok"
        }
    ],
    "filter": "Example value",
    "limit": null,
    "os_type": "Windows",
    "processes": [
        {
            "pid": 4210,
            "name": "python",
            "cpu_percent": 4.2,
            "memory_readable": "82.4 MiB"
        }
    ],
    "sort_by": "Example value",
    "total_processes": 3
}

View the JSON result contract

{
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "required": [
        "success",
        "message",
        "meta"
    ],
    "properties": {
        "success": {
            "type": "boolean"
        },
        "message": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "meta": {
            "type": "object",
            "required": [
                "command",
                "command_maturity",
                "duration_ms",
                "schema_version"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "command": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
                "command_maturity": {
                    "type": "object",
                    "required": [
                        "stage",
                        "label",
                        "sequence",
                        "public_executable",
                        "stability",
                        "summary",
                        "promotion_review_required",
                        "assessment_scope"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "stage": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "label": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "sequence": {
                            "type": "integer"
                        },
                        "public_executable": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "stability": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "summary": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "promotion_review_required": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "assessment_scope": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "note": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "review": {
                            "type": "object",
                            "required": [
                                "reviewed_on",
                                "rationale",
                                "evidence"
                            ],
                            "properties": {
                                "reviewed_on": {
                                    "type": "string",
                                    "format": "date"
                                },
                                "rationale": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                },
                                "evidence": {
                                    "type": "array",
                                    "minItems": 1,
                                    "items": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                },
                                "replacement": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                }
                            },
                            "additionalProperties": false
                        }
                    },
                    "additionalProperties": true
                },
                "duration_ms": {
                    "type": "number"
                },
                "schema_version": {
                    "type": "integer"
                }
            },
            "additionalProperties": true
        },
        "collection_method": [],
        "cpu_percent_scale": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "cpu_sample_seconds": [],
        "displayed_processes": [],
        "error": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "filter": [],
        "limit": {
            "type": "null"
        },
        "os_type": [],
        "processes": [],
        "sort_by": [],
        "total_processes": []
    },
    "additionalProperties": true
}

Errors and limits

The public contract requires success=false and a descriptive message on failure. This catalog does not yet declare a command-specific error taxonomy; inspect the result and do not invent error codes.

QZX is alpha software. Optional dependencies, permissions, and host capabilities can change the result.

Evidence workflow: ready for deterministic automated capture.

Evidence and provenance

Implementation: src/qzx/commands/system/list_processes.py
Tests: tests/test_system_commands/test_list_processes.py
Documentation channel: Development documentation 0.2.2.0.15 · main · sha256:b91acee86268edb7cb018a94e089ff8e95835eda3f2cf08b39796c0ab9654693
Availability: 0.2.2.0.15 or earlier

Keep exploring

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