---
name: "raise"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/raise"
---

# raise(3)

send a signal to the caller

## NAME

raise - send a signal to the caller

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <signal.h>
```

**int raise(int** *sig***);**

## DESCRIPTION

The **raise**() function sends a signal to the calling process or thread. In a single-threaded program it is equivalent to

```
kill(getpid(), sig);
```

In a multithreaded program it is equivalent to

```
pthread_kill(pthread_self(), sig);
```

If the signal causes a handler to be called, **raise**() will return only after the signal handler has returned.

## RETURN VALUE

**raise**() returns 0 on success, and nonzero for failure.

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **raise**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

C11, POSIX.1-2008.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1-2001, C89.

Since glibc 2.3.3, **raise**() is implemented by calling [**tgkill**(2)](/tgkill/2.md), if the kernel supports that system call. Older glibc versions implemented **raise**() using [**kill**(2)](/kill/2.md).

## SEE ALSO

[**getpid**(2)](/getpid/2.md), [**kill**(2)](/kill/2.md), [**sigaction**(2)](/sigaction/2.md), [**signal**(2)](/signal/2.md), [**pthread\_kill**(3)](/pthread_kill/3.md), [**signal**(7)](/signal/7.md)