The kill command in Linux explained
The kill command stops a process by its ID. It is one of the most useful commands for anyone using a live USB drive or a fresh Linux install.
Syntax
kill [signal] pid
Examples
kill 1234: ask the process to stop politelykill -9 1234: force it to stop
Tip
Try it without -9 first, so the program gets a chance to save its work.
Keep learning
New to the terminal? Start with Linux terminal basics. You can try every command safely from a live session: see how to try Linux without installing it. Run man kill in a terminal for the full manual.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see every option for kill?
Run man kill for the full manual, or try kill --help for a short summary.
Do I need sudo to run kill?
Not for your own files. You only need sudo when the command changes something owned by the system or another user.
Is it safe to practise kill on a live USB drive?
Mostly yes, because a live session starts fresh each time. Be careful with commands that write to your internal disk, such as rm on a mounted drive or dd.