---
name: "skill"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "procps"
version: "2:4.0.4-9"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/skill"
---

# skill(1)

send a signal or report process status

## NAME

skill, snice - send a signal or report process status

## SYNOPSIS

**skill** \[*signal*\] \[*options*\] *expression*\
 **snice** \[*new priority*\] \[*options*\] *expression*

## DESCRIPTION

These tools are obsolete and unportable.  The command syntax is poorly defined.  Consider using the **killall**, **pkill**, and **pgrep** commands instead.

The default signal for **skill** is TERM.  Use **-l** or **-L** to list available signals.  Particularly useful signals include HUP, INT, KILL, STOP, CONT, and 0.  Alternate signals may be specified in three ways: **-9** **-SIGKILL** **-KILL**.

The default priority for **snice** is +4.  Priority numbers range from +20 (slowest) to -20 (fastest).  Negative priority numbers are restricted to administrative users.

## OPTIONS

- **-f**, **--fast**

  Fast mode.  This option has not been implemented.

- **-i**, **--interactive**

  Interactive use.  You will be asked to approve each action.

- **-l**, **--list**

  List all signal names.

- **-L**, **--table**

  List all signal names in a nice table.

- **-n**, **--no-action**

  No action; perform a simulation of events that would occur but do not actually change the system.

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Verbose; explain what is being done.

- **-w**, **--warnings**

  Enable warnings.  This option has not been implemented.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help text and exit.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version information.

## PROCESS SELECTION OPTIONS

Selection criteria can be: terminal, user, pid, command.  The options below may be used to ensure correct interpretation.

- **-t**, **--tty** *tty*

  The next expression is a terminal (tty or pty).

- **-u**, **--user** *user*

  The next expression is a username.

- **-p**, **--pid** *pid*

  The next expression is a process ID number.

- **-c**, **--command** *command*

  The next expression is a command name.

- **--ns** *pid*

  Match the processes that belong to the same namespace as pid.

- **--nslist** *ns*,*...*

  list which namespaces will be considered for the **--ns** option. Available namespaces: ipc, mnt, net, pid, user, uts.

## SIGNALS

The behavior of signals is explained in [**signal**(7)](/signal/7.md) manual page.

## EXAMPLES

- **snice -c seti -c crack +7**

  \+Slow down **seti** and **crack** commands.

- **skill -KILL -t /dev/pts/\***

  Kill users on PTY devices.

- **skill -STOP -u viro -u lm -u davem**

  Stop three users.

## SEE ALSO

[**kill**(1)](/kill/1.md), [**kill**(2)](/kill/2.md), [**killall**(1)](/killall/1.md), [**nice**(1)](/nice/1.md), [**pkill**(1)](/pkill/1.md), [**renice**(1)](/renice/1.md), [**signal**(7)](/signal/7.md)

## STANDARDS

No standards apply.

## AUTHOR

Albert Cahalan ⟨albert@users.sf.net⟩ wrote skill and snice in 1999 as a replacement for a non-free version.

## REPORTING BUGS

Please send bug reports to ⟨procps@freelists.org⟩