Can you explain what the Load Average metric means in the Linux operating system?

The Load Average metric in Linux shows the average number of processes that are in the running state or waiting to run (in the CPU queue) over a certain period of time.

Typically, three numbers are displayed, for example: 1.23 0.95 0.80, which correspond to the averages over the last 1, 5, and 15 minutes.

If the Load Average value equals the number of CPU cores, it means the system is 100% loaded. A higher value indicates overload, when there are more processes than available CPUs.

Example:

• On a server with 4 cores, a Load Average of 2.0 is within the capacity.
• A Load Average of 6.0 means processes are waiting in line, and delays are possible.

This metric helps assess the overall load and performance of the system.