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KILL(1)                   BSD General Commands Manual                  KILL(1)

NAME
     kill -- terminate or signal a process

SYNOPSIS
     kill [-s signal_name] pid ...
     kill -l [exit_status]
     kill -signal_name pid ...
     kill -signal_number pid ...

DESCRIPTION
     The kill utility sends a signal to the process(es) specified by the pid
     operand(s).

     Only the super-user may send signals to other users' processes.

     The options are as follows:

     -s signal_name
             A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead
             of the default TERM.

     -l [exit_status]
             Display the name of the signal corresponding to exit_status.
             exit_status may be the exit status of a command killed by a
             signal (see the special sh(1) parameter '?') or a signal number.

             If no operand is given, display the names of all the signals.

     -signal_name
             A symbolic signal name specifying the signal to be sent instead
             of the default TERM.

     -signal_number
             A non-negative decimal integer, specifying the signal to be sent
             instead of the default TERM.

     The following pids have special meanings:
     -1      If superuser, broadcast the signal to all processes; otherwise
             broadcast to all processes belonging to the user.
     0       Broadcast the signal to all processes in the current process
             group belonging to the user.

     Some of the more commonly used signals:
     1       HUP (hang up)
     2       INT (interrupt)
     3       QUIT (quit)
     6       ABRT (abort)
     9       KILL (non-catchable, non-ignorable kill)
     14      ALRM (alarm clock)
     15      TERM (software termination signal)

     kill is a built-in to csh(1); it allows job specifiers of the form
     ``%...'' as arguments so process id's are not as often used as kill
     arguments.  See csh(1) for details.

SEE ALSO
     csh(1), pgrep(1), pkill(1), ps(1), kill(2), sigaction(2), signal(7)

STANDARDS
     The kill function is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 ("POSIX.2")
     compatible.

HISTORY
     A kill command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

BSD                             April 28, 1995                             BSD

NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | SEE ALSO | STANDARDS | HISTORY