lxcstop

lxcstop, often written as lxc-stop, is a command-line utility in the LXC (Linux Containers) toolkit used to stop a running container. It interacts with the container’s execution context to shut down the container in a controlled manner, aiming for a graceful termination of processes and services running inside the container.

Operation and behavior

When invoked, lxc-stop attempts to stop the container by signaling the container’s main process (the init process or equivalent) inside its namespace. The default behavior is to send a termination signal that allows applications and services to shut down cleanly. Users can specify a different signal if desired. A timeout can be configured to limit how long lxc-stop waits for the container to stop; if the container does not stop within the allotted time, lxc-stop may proceed with a more forceful termination to ensure the container is halted. The exact sequence and handling may depend on the container’s configuration and the version of LXC in use.

Typical usage

The basic invocation is lxc-stop -n NAME, where NAME identifies the target container. Optional flags commonly include -t SECONDS to set the stop timeout and -s SIGNAL to choose the termination signal. Administrators should run lxc-stop with appropriate privileges, as stopping containers typically requires elevated permissions.

Considerations

Stopping a container with lxc-stop is generally safer than a abrupt or destructive action, since it allows services inside the container to shut down gracefully. However, if the container’s processes do not respond within the configured timeout, a forced stop may occur. Administrators should ensure that any critical workloads are properly handled and that data integrity is preserved when stopping containers.

See also

lxc-start, lxc-destroy, LXC.