Linux pkill Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to pkill on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including killing processes by name, pattern matching, and process management.

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Table of Contents

1. Understanding pkill
2. pkill Basics
3. Pattern Matching
4. Signal Options
5. Troubleshooting

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Understanding pkill

What is pkill?

pkill kills processes by name.

Uses:

• Kill by name: Kill processes by name
• Pattern matching: Match process names
• Process management: Manage processes
• Batch killing: Kill multiple processes

Why it matters:

• Convenience: Easier than finding PID
• Pattern matching: Match multiple processes
• Process management: Manage processes easily

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pkill Basics

Kill by Name

Basic usage:

# Kill process by name
pkill process-name

# Sends TERM signal (default)

Pattern Matching

Match pattern:

# Match pattern
pkill -f "pattern"

# -f = full command line

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Pattern Matching

Exact Match

Exact name:

# Exact match
pkill -x process-name

# -x = exact match

Case Insensitive

Ignore case:

# Case insensitive
pkill -i process-name

# -i = ignore case

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Signal Options

Send Signal

Specify signal:

# Send specific signal
pkill -9 process-name

# -9 = KILL signal
pkill -TERM process-name

# -TERM = terminate signal

List Matches

Show matches:

# List matching processes
pkill -l process-name

# -l = list (doesn't kill)

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Troubleshooting

No Processes Found

Check processes:

# Check if process exists
pgrep process-name

# Or
ps aux | grep process-name

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Summary

This guide covered pkill usage, pattern matching, and process management for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• kill Guide - Kill by PID
• killall Guide - Kill all processes
• pgrep Guide - Find processes
• pkill Documentation: man pkill

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.