NAME
    pgrep, pkill -  look up or signal processes based on name and other
    attributes

SYNOPSIS
    pgrep [-flnvx] [-d delimiter] [-P ppid,...] [-g pgrp,...]
   [-s sid,...] [-u euid,...] [-U uid,...] [-G gid,...]
   [-t term,...] [pattern]

    pkill [-signal] [-fnvx] [-P ppid,...] [-g pgrp,...]
   [-s sid,...] [-u euid,...] [-U uid,...] [-G gid,...]
   [-t term,...] [pattern]

DESCRIPTION
    pgrep looks through the currently running processes and lists the pro-
    cess IDs which matches the selection criteria to stdout. All the cri-
    teria 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 pro-
    cess instead of listing them on stdout.

OPTIONS
    -d delimiter
    Sets the string used to delimit each process ID in the output
    (by default a newline). (pgrep only.)

    -f   The pattern is normally only matched against the process name.
    When -f is set, the full command line is used.

    -g 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 gid,...
    Only match processes whose real group ID is listed. Either the
    numerical or symbolical value may be used.

    -l   List the process name as well as the process ID. (pgrep only.)

    -n   Select only the newest (most recently started) of the matching
    processes.

    -P ppid,...
    Only match processes whose parent process ID is listed.

    -s sid,...
    Only match processes whose process session ID is listed.  Ses-
    sion ID 0 is translated into pgrep's or pkill's own session ID.

    -t term,...
    Only match processes whose controlling terminal is listed.  The
    terminal name should be specified without the "/dev/" prefix.

    -u euid,...
    Only match processes whose effective user ID is listed. Either
    the numerical or symbolical value may be used.

    -U uid,...
    Only match processes whose real user ID is listed.  Either the
    numerical or symbolical value may be used.

    -v   Negates the matching.

    -x   Only match processes whose name (or command line if -f is speci-
    fied) exactly match the pattern.

    -signal
    Defines the signal to send to each matched process. Either the
    numeric or the symbolic signal name can be used.  (pkill only.)

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:

    unix$ pgrep -u root named

    Example 2: Make syslog reread its configuration file:

    unix$ pkill -HUP syslogd

    Example 3: Give detailed information on all xterm processes:

    unix$ ps -fp $(pgrep -d, -x xterm)

    Example 4: Make all netscape processes run nicer:

    unix$ 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 -v can not be combined. Let me know if you need to
    do this.

    Defunct processes are reported.

SEE ALSO
   ps(1) proc(5) regex(5)

STANDARDS
    pkill and pgrep were introduced in Sun's Solaris 7. This implementa-
    tion is fully compatible.

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

    Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm@redhat.com> is the current maintainer of
    the procps package.

    Please send bug reports to <procps-list@redhat.com>