how to kill process in Ubuntu Linux? Ubuntu Linux is a highly optimized OS. However, there are some occasions when a process eats a big chunk of resources. These processes eat up PC resources and make it slow.
Therefore, I am here to show how you can kill a process in Ubuntu Linux. These methods will be easy to use. If you are a beginner then you will find these methods easy. So lets us get started.
The process is something that apps trigger to work properly. However, they sometimes overexert it and eats more resources than they need to. They even get stuck and use those resources for no reason.
That is why you need to kill the process in Ubuntu Linux. By kill, I mean “force stop” the process from running. There are two kinds of processes in Ubuntu Linux. One is the background and the other is the foreground.
The foreground is the process that runs when you are using the app or software. The background process is when the app triggers a process without running. This is the process we need to focus on. The background process is the main reason for resource losses.
How To Kill A Process In Ubuntu Linux
There is a GUI and CUI method that you can use to kill a process in Ubuntu Linux. The GUI method is easy to use. So let us discuss it first. You can use this method to force stop an unresponsive app.
Kill A Process In Ubuntu Linux Via GUI
Just click the “x” button and the message will show up. Here click force quit and the process will end. If that does not work, you can use another GUI method. You can use a system monitor to kill a process. Follow the steps shown below.
- Press Alt+f2 to open the run window.
- Here type gnome-system-monitor and hit enter.
The system monitor will open now. Here you can see every process running on your Ubuntu Linux PC.
- Now find the process that you want to kill.
- Click on it and then click end process.
- The process will terminate shortly.
You can kill a process in Ubuntu Linux using this method.
Kill A Process In Ubuntu Linux Via CUI
You can use the terminal to end a process. I will show you some commands that you can use to kill a process.
First, open the terminal.
To use the kill command, you need to find the process’s PID first. You can use the top command to see all the processes running on your PC. Here, you can also find the PID of the process you want to kill in Ubuntu.
Now go to the terminal and type top and hit enter.
All the processes will now show up along with their PID.
Now go to the terminal and type the kill command and the PID. The process will terminate.
Kill PID
Wait; there is more to the story. However, this is for advanced users. If you just want a no-brainer command then stop here. The above command is enough to terminate a process. There is another thing you need to do. Because the proper way to execute a kill command is the following.
Kill Signal PID
You will need to find the number callout of the signal. There are so many ways to kill a process in Ubuntu Linux. Kill command uses signals to determine a way to kill a process. A signal is a number indicating the action. Go to the terminal and type the following command.
Kill –l
Now you will be able to see all the callouts for a signal command. It is a number of the action or signals that the kill command will take.
So this is how you can kill a process in Ubuntu Linux via CUI.
A process is an essential part of Ubuntu Linux. They are required for the proper functioning of your Linux machine. However, they malfunction sometimes causing system freeze and other issues.
For more related articles read our what is Windows Subsystem for Linux [WSL] and you can also read this how to check Python Version? Windows,Linux,Mac, and many more.