To end a Linux process by its process ID (PID), run kill PID, replacing PID with the process’s positive numeric ID. This sends SIGTERM by default, asking the process to exit and giving it a chance to clean up. Use SIGKILL only if it remains running and you are prepared to stop it without application-level cleanup.
1. Identify the right PID
Before sending a signal, verify that the PID belongs to the process you intend to stop. A positive PID targets one process. Negative operands can select a process group, so do not substitute a negative number when you mean to target one process; see the util-linux kill(1) manual.
2. Request a normal shutdown
Run kill 1234, replacing 1234 with the verified PID. The command sends SIGTERM by default. You can make the signal explicit with kill -TERM 1234.
SIGTERM is a request, not an unconditional stop: a process may handle it and perform cleanup before exiting. The util-linux manual recommends this signal over KILL for that reason. The Linux signal(7) manual documents signal meanings and default actions.
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3. Check whether it exited
To check whether you can still signal a PID, run kill -0 1234. Signal 0 sends no signal; it performs error checking, including checks related to the process and your permission to signal it. It does not terminate the process.
4. Escalate only if necessary
If the process is still running and you accept that it will not get an opportunity to clean up, send SIGKILL:
kill -KILL 1234
# Equivalent signal number:
kill -9 1234SIGKILL cannot be caught or handled by the process, so the application cannot use it to perform its own orderly shutdown. The Linux signal(7) manual describes its default terminating action.
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5. If the command fails
- Check the PID again. A process may have exited, or the PID may no longer identify the process you checked. Verify the target before retrying.
- Check permissions. Linux restricts signal delivery according to user identity and privilege. If signaling is denied, confirm that your account is permitted to signal that process; the Linux
kill(2)manual describes the permission rules. - Check which
killyou are using. Shells often provide a built-in, and its options may differ from the external utility. For util-linux’s executable, invoke/bin/kill; for the syntax available in your current shell, checkhelp killorman kill. The util-linux manual explains this distinction.
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