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 match 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.

       -d, --delimiter 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.)

       -a, --list-full
              List the full command line 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 is usually used in pgrep's context.  In pkill's context the
              short option is disabled to avoid accidental usage of the option.

       -w, --lightweight
              Shows all thread ids instead of pids in pgrep's  context.   In  pkill's  context  this  option  is
              disabled.

       -x, --exact
              Only match processes whose names (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.

       --ns pid
              Match  processes  that  belong  to the same namespaces. Required to run as root to match processes
              from other users. See --nslist for how to limit which namespaces to match.

       --nslist name,...
              Match only the provided namespaces. Available namespaces: ipc, mnt, net, pid, user,uts.

       -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 ⟨kjetilho@ifi.uio.no⟩

REPORTING BUGS

       Please send bug reports to ⟨procps@freelists.org⟩