---
name: "vfork"
section: "2"
platform: "macos"
package: "xnu"
version: "12377.121.6"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vfork"
---

# vfork(2)

deprecated system call to create a new process

## NAME

**vfork** – deprecated system call to create a new process

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<unistd.h\>**

*pid\_t*\

**vfork**(*void*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **vfork** system call can be used to create new processes. As of macOS 12.0, this system call behaves identically to the [fork(2)](/fork/2.md) system call, except without calling any handlers registered with pthread\_atfork(2).

This system call is deprecated. In a future release, it may begin to return errors in all cases, or may be removed entirely. It is extremely strongly recommended to replace all uses with [fork(2)](/fork/2.md) or, ideally, [posix\_spawn(3)](/posix_spawn/3.md).