Introduction
In the Linux operating system, pkill is a command-line utility used to send signals to processes based on various criteria. This allows users to easily terminate or manipulate processes running on their system.
Syntax
The syntax for using the pkill command is simple: pkill [options] <pattern>. Here, the pattern can be a process name, command, or other criteria used to identify processes. The options provide additional functionality, such as specifying the signal to send or excluding certain processes.
Examples
- To kill all processes with the name “firefox”:
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pkill firefox
This command will send a SIGTERM signal to all processes with the name “firefox”, effectively terminating them.
- To send a different signal (e.g., SIGKILL) to a process based on the command it is running:
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pkill -9 -f "my_script.sh"
In this example, the -f flag is used to match the entire command line, ensuring that only the specified script is targeted.
- To exclude a specific process from being terminated:
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pkill -v example_process
The -v flag is used to invert the match, meaning that all processes except those matching the pattern will be affected.
Versions
The pkill command is available in most Linux distributions, including Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, and Fedora. It is typically included in the coreutils package and is compatible with the POSIX standard for process management.
Conclusion
By understanding how to use pkill effectively, users can manage processes on their Linux systems more efficiently. Whether terminating specific programs or sending custom signals, pkill provides a powerful tool for controlling processes from the command line.