progress
Linux tool to show progress for cp, mv, dd, ... (formerly known as cv)
A Linux and macOS command-line tool that shows the percentage, speed, and estimated time remaining for running file operations like copy or compress, works with standard system tools, no changes required.
Progress is a small command-line tool for Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS that shows you how far along a file operation is. When you run a command like copying, moving, or compressing a large file, the terminal normally gives you no feedback at all until the job is done. Progress watches those running operations and displays a percentage, estimated time remaining, and transfer speed.
It works by scanning the operating system's process information to find file-copying and similar commands that are currently running. It then checks which files those processes have open and how far through each file the operation has progressed. This approach means it works with standard system tools without any special setup or modifications to those tools.
You can run it in a few different ways. Running it once gives you a snapshot of any ongoing file operations. There is also a continuous monitoring mode that refreshes like a system monitor, so you can watch progress update in real time. You can also target a specific process by name or by its process ID.
Installation is straightforward: the tool is available through the standard package managers on most major Linux distributions and on macOS via Homebrew or MacPorts. It can also be built from source with a single command.
The project was previously called cv (Coreutils Viewer) before being renamed to progress.
Where it fits
- Check the live progress of a large file copy or move operation running in another terminal window.
- Monitor all ongoing file operations at once using a continuously refreshing display.
- Track how far through a file a compression or archiving job has progressed without modifying the original command.