How do you kill a process in Linux?

In Linux, the kill command is used to terminate a process using its process ID (PID). This command sends a signal to the specified process, which can instruct it to terminate immediately or perform a more graceful shutdown, depending on the signal sent. The default signal sent by the kill command is SIGTERM, which requests the process to terminate responsibly, allowing it to close files and release resources. To use this command, you simply type kill followed by the PID of the process you wish to kill.

This method is fundamental in process management within Linux, as it provides a flexible way to control processes running on the system. By referencing the PID, users can target specific processes, making it an effective tool for managing system resources and troubleshooting issues related to hanging or unresponsive applications.