timeout Command Examples

Run a command with a time limit. More information: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual/html_node/timeout-invocation.html.

• Run sleep 10 and terminate it after 3 seconds:

timeout 3s sleep 10

• Send a signal to the command after the time limit expires (TERM by default, kill -l to list all signals):

timeout {{[-s|--signal]}} {{INT|HUP|KILL|...}} {{5s}} {{sleep 10}}

• Send verbose output to stderr showing signal sent upon timeout:

timeout {{[-v|--verbose]}} {{0.5s|1m|1h|1d|...}} {{command}}

• Preserve the exit status of the command regardless of timing out:

timeout {{[-p|--preserve-status]}} {{1s|1m|1h|1d|...}} {{command}}

• Send a forceful KILL signal after certain duration if the command ignores initial signal upon timeout:

timeout {{[-k|--kill-after]}} {{5m}} {{30s}} {{command}}