Windows
Linux
PowerShell Equivalents
Processes
Windows PowerShell Stop-Process equivalent in Linux
Requests that a process exit or forcefully terminates it when necessary.
Windows
→
PowerShell Stop-Process
Linux equivalents
kill PID
kill PID
kill PID
Overview
What this command does
Requests that a process exit or forcefully terminates it when necessary.
Migration tip: Start with the default TERM signal. Use KILL only when the process does not respond because KILL prevents normal cleanup.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Stop a process
Requests that a process exit or forcefully terminates it when necessary.
kill 1234
Request a graceful stop
pkill firefox
Stop processes by name
kill -KILL 1234
Force termination
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
kill 1234
pkill firefox
kill -KILL 1234
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
kill 1234 # stop one process gracefully
pkill firefox # stop processes matching a name
kill -KILL 1234 # force a process to endReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
kill 1234 | Request a graceful stop |
pkill firefox | Stop processes by name |
kill -KILL 1234 | Force termination |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
This command is the same on Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux when the relevant tool is installed.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | kill PID |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | kill PID |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | kill PID |
Same command on this distribution. |
Important
What to watch out for
Killing the wrong process can end your session or destabilize services. Verify the PID and process owner first.
Keep learning