NAME¶
pgrep, pkill - look up or signal processes based on name and other attributes
SYNOPSIS¶
pgrep [options] pattern
pkill [options] pattern
DESCRIPTION¶
pgrep looks through the currently running processes and lists the process
IDs which matches the selection criteria to stdout. All the criteria have to
match. For example,
- $ pgrep -u root sshd
will only list the processes called
sshd AND owned by
root. On the
other hand,
- $ pgrep -u root,daemon
will list the processes owned by
root OR
daemon.
pkill will send the specified signal (by default
SIGTERM) to each
process instead of listing them on stdout.
OPTIONS¶
- -signal
- --signal signal Defines the signal to send to
each matched process. Either the numeric or the symbolic signal name can
be used. (pkill only.)
- -c, --count
- Suppress normal output; instead print a count of matching
processes. When count does not match anything, e.g. returns zero, the
command will return non-zero value. ( pgrep only.)
- -d, --delimeter delimiter
- Sets the string used to delimit each process ID in the
output (by default a newline). (pgrep only.)
- -f, --full
- The pattern is normally only matched against the
process name. When -f is set, the full command line is used.
- -g, --pgroup pgrp,...
- Only match processes in the process group IDs listed.
Process group 0 is translated into pgrep's or pkill's own
process group.
- -G, --group gid,...
- Only match processes whose real group ID is listed. Either
the numerical or symbolical value may be used.
- -l, --list-name
- List the process name as well as the process ID.
(pgrep only.)
- -n, --newest
- Select only the newest (most recently started) of the
matching processes.
- -o, --oldest
- Select only the oldest (least recently started) of the
matching processes.
- -P, --parent ppid,...
- Only match processes whose parent process ID is
listed.
- -s, --session sid,...
- Only match processes whose process session ID is listed.
Session ID 0 is translated into pgrep's or pkill's own
session ID.
- -t, --terminal term,...
- Only match processes whose controlling terminal is listed.
The terminal name should be specified without the "/dev/"
prefix.
- -u, --euid euid,...
- Only match processes whose effective user ID is listed.
Either the numerical or symbolical value may be used.
- -U, --uid uid,...
- Only match processes whose real user ID is listed. Either
the numerical or symbolical value may be used.
- -v, --inverse
- Negates the matching. This option usually used in pgrep
context. In pkill context the short option is disabled to avoid
accidental usage of the option.
- -x, --exact
- Only match processes whose name (or command line if -f is
specified) exactly match the pattern.
- -F, --pidfile file
- Read PID's from file. This option is perhaps more
useful for pkill than pgrep.
- -L, --logpidfile
- Fail if pidfile (see -F) not locked.
- -V, --version
- Display version information and exit.
- -h, --help
- Display help and exit.
OPERANDS¶
- pattern
- Specifies an Extended Regular Expression for matching
against the process names or command lines.
EXAMPLES¶
Example 1: Find the process ID of the
named daemon:
- $ pgrep -u root named
Example 2: Make
syslog reread its configuration file:
- $ pkill -HUP syslogd
Example 3: Give detailed information on all
xterm processes:
- $ ps -fp $(pgrep -d, -x xterm)
Example 4: Make all
netscape processes run nicer:
- $ renice +4 $(pgrep netscape)
EXIT STATUS¶
- 0
- One or more processes matched the criteria.
- 1
- No processes matched.
- 2
- Syntax error in the command line.
- 3
- Fatal error: out of memory etc.
NOTES¶
The process name used for matching is limited to the 15 characters present in
the output of /proc/
pid/stat. Use the -f option to match against the
complete command line, /proc/
pid/cmdline.
The running
pgrep or
pkill process will never report itself as a
match.
BUGS¶
The options
-n and
-o and
-v can not be combined. Let me
know if you need to do this.
Defunct processes are reported.
SEE ALSO¶
ps(1),
regex(7),
signal(7),
killall(1),
skill(1),
kill(1),
kill(2)
STANDARDS¶
pkill and
pgrep were introduced in Sun's Solaris 7. This
implementation is fully compatible.
AUTHOR¶
Kjetil Torgrim Homme
REPORTING BUGS¶
Please send bug reports to
procps@freelists.org