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Asked: 2024-09-24T11:39:09+05:30 In:

How can I terminate several processes that share the same name in a Linux environment? I’m looking for an efficient command or method to do this without having to kill each process individually.

I’m facing a bit of a hassle with my Linux setup and could really use your help. So, here’s the thing: I’ve got several processes running on my machine, and they all have the same name. It’s one of those situations where I didn’t realize how many instances I had running until I noticed my system was slowing down more than usual. I’ve tried to check what’s taking up resources, and, surprise surprise, a bunch of these processes are hogging all the CPU time.

Now, I know I could manually kill each process one by one, but honestly, that feels like such a pain, especially when there are a bunch of them. I want to find a more efficient way to terminate all of them at once. I mean, how efficient can a command line be if it doesn’t help me take care of multiple processes in a snap, right?

I’ve heard about using `pkill` and `killall`, and they sound like they could do the job, but I’m kind of unsure how to use them properly – especially with regard to ensuring that I don’t accidentally terminate processes that I actually need to keep running. I’m also worried about running into permission issues, since some of these processes might be running under different user accounts.

So, can anyone share their go-to methods or commands for terminating multiple processes with the same name? I’m looking for an approach that’s safe and won’t compromise other important tasks I might have going on. Bonus points if you can explain the command a bit for someone who’s still getting the hang of things! I’d love to hear about any tips or tricks you have up your sleeve for handling this situation. Thanks a ton!

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    2 Answers



    1. Quick Guide to Terminate Processes in Linux

      How to Easily Kill Multiple Processes with the Same Name in Linux

      Sounds like you’re having a rough time with all those rogue processes! No worries, it happens to the best of us. Here’s a couple of simple commands you can use to get things back to normal without the tedious one-by-one killing.

      Using pkill

      pkill is super handy for this! You just need to know the name of the process. The syntax is pretty straightforward:

      pkill

      So, if your process is called myprocess, you would just type:

      pkill myprocess

      This will terminate all instances of myprocess. Easy peasy!

      Using killall

      If you prefer killall, the command is almost the same:

      killall

      So for myprocess:

      killall myprocess

      Both commands are like magic wands for process management!

      Be Careful!

      One thing to remember: both commands target any running instance with the name you provide. Make sure you really want to kill all of them!

      Dealing with Permissions

      If you’re running into permission issues, you might need to use sudo before the command:

      sudo pkill myprocess

      This gives you the rights to terminate processes that belong to other users. Just be cautious, as you don’t want to accidentally kill something important!

      Final Tip

      Before you go on a killing spree, consider checking which processes are running with:

      ps aux | grep myprocess

      This way, you’ll see all instances and verify that it’s safe to terminate them.

      With these tips, you should be back on track in no time! Good luck!


    2. To efficiently terminate multiple processes with the same name on your Linux machine, you can use the `pkill` or `killall` commands. The `pkill` command allows you to terminate processes based on name or other attributes, while `killall` specifically targets all instances of a process with a given name. For example, if you want to kill all instances of a process named “myprocess”, you can use:

      pkill myprocess

      This command will send the default TERM signal to all processes matching “myprocess,” effectively asking them to terminate gracefully. If you want to ensure that the target processes are terminated forcefully, you can use the -9 option:

      pkill -9 myprocess

      On the other hand, `killall` works similarly as follows:

      killall myprocess

      While both commands are effective, you should proceed with caution, especially if you are uncertain about other instances of the processes running. To check the processes and their respective process IDs (PIDs), you can use `pgrep`, which is a safer way to verify what you’re about to terminate:

      pgrep myprocess

      This will list the PIDs of all instances of “myprocess.” For permission issues, you may need to prefix your command with `sudo` if any processes are running under different user accounts. Always double-check which processes you are targeting before executing these commands to avoid accidentally terminating critical services.

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