kill(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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KILL(1)                     NetBSD Reference 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 processes 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]
             If no operand is given, list the signal names; otherwise, write
             the signal name corresponding to exit_status.

     -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.

     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 argu-
     ments.  See csh(1) for details.


SEE ALSO

     csh(1),  ps(1),  kill(2),  sigaction(2)


STANDARDS

     The kill function is expected to be IEEE Std1003.2 (``POSIX.2'') compati-
     ble.


HISTORY

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


BUGS

     A replacement for the command ``kill 0'' for csh(1) users should be pro-
     vided.