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 crite-
       ria 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.

       -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 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)

AUTHOR

       Kjetil Torgrim Homme <kjetilho@ifi.uio.no>

REPORTING BUGS

       Please send bug reports to <procps@freelists.org>

procps-ng                                                           March 2015                                                            PGREP(1)