What does the 'kill' command do?

The 'kill' command is primarily used to terminate a running process in a Unix-like operating system. When invoked, it sends a signal to a specified process, instructing it to stop its execution. The default signal sent by the 'kill' command is SIGTERM, which allows the process to terminate gracefully, enabling it to clean up resources and save data if necessary. Users can specify different signals, such as SIGKILL, which forces an immediate termination without allowing the process to handle the termination request.

This command is essential for managing processes, as it helps users control unwanted or misbehaving processes that may consume system resources or interfere with other operations. By understanding how to effectively use the 'kill' command, a user can maintain system stability and performance.