PGREP(1)                                  User Commands                                  PGREP(1)

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 list‐
       ing them on stdout.

OPTIONS
       -signal
       --signal signal
              Defines the signal to send to each matched process.  Either the numeric or the sym‐
              bolic 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 new‐
              line).  (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 trans‐
              lated 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  sym‐
              bolical value may be used.

       -i, --ignore-case
              Match processes case-insensitively.

       -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 trans‐
              lated 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 symbol‐
              ical 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 chrome processes run nicer:

              $ renice +4 $(pgrep chrome)

EXIT STATUS
       0      One or more processes matched the criteria. For pkill the process  must  also  have
              been successfully signalled.
       1      No processes matched or none of them could be signalled.
       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)

AUTHOR
       Kjetil Torgrim Homme ⟨kjetilho@ifi.uio.no⟩

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

procps-ng                                   2017-12-22                                   PGREP(1)

Usage:
 pkill [options] <pattern>

Options:
 -<sig>, --signal <sig>    signal to send (either number or name)
 -e, --echo                display what is killed
 -c, --count               count of matching processes
 -f, --full                use full process name to match
 -g, --pgroup <PGID,...>   match listed process group IDs
 -G, --group <GID,...>     match real group IDs
 -i, --ignore-case         match case insensitively
 -n, --newest              select most recently started
 -o, --oldest              select least recently started
 -P, --parent <PPID,...>   match only child processes of the given parent
 -s, --session <SID,...>   match session IDs
 -t, --terminal <tty,...>  match by controlling terminal
 -u, --euid <ID,...>       match by effective IDs
 -U, --uid <ID,...>        match by real IDs
 -x, --exact               match exactly with the command name
 -F, --pidfile <file>      read PIDs from file
 -L, --logpidfile          fail if PID file is not locked
 --ns <PID>                match the processes that belong to the same
                           namespace as <pid>
 --nslist <ns,...>         list which namespaces will be considered for
                           the --ns option.
                           Available namespaces: ipc, mnt, net, pid, user, uts

 -h, --help     display this help and exit
 -V, --version  output version information and exit

For more details see pgrep(1).