PTHREAD_KILL_OTHER_THREADS_NP(3)

💖 pthread_kill_other_threads_np(3) 💖

okay bestie, sit down, because we're talking about a Library Functions Manual page from the POSIX threads library and it's giving "ancient lore that you need to know for the vibe check". it's pthread_ki..._threads_np(3), and yes the name is long, she's dramatic, we love her.

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✨ NAME ✨

pthread_kill_other_threads_np — terminate all other threads in process 🫶

like, all of them. the other ones. not you. everyone else.

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📚 LIBRARY 📚

POSIX threads library — that's libpthread, and you link it with -lpthread. no cap.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <pthread.h>

void pthread_kill_other_threads_np(void);

takes no args, returns nothing, zero drama in the signature, maximum drama in the behaviour. iconique.

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so here's the tea. pthread_kill_other_threads_np() only actually has an effect in the LinuxThreads threading implementation. that's it. that's the whole vibe.

on that implementation, calling this function causes the immediate termination of all threads in the application, except the calling thread. like, everybody else? gone. instantly. you are the main character, they are the extras.

and the way it does it is lowkey rude: the cancelation state and cancelation type of the to-be-terminated threads are ignored, and the cleanup handlers are not called in those threads. so if any of those threads was like "wait I have a cleanup handler, I have a whole exit routine—" nope. ignored. no goodbye. 💀

fr fr though: cleanup handlers not being called is a real thing to be aware of. those threads don't get to tidy up. periodt.

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💅 ATTRIBUTES 💅

for the explanation of the terms used in this section, go peek at attributes(7). here's the rundown:

• Interface: pthread_kill_other_threads_np() — Attribute: Thread safety — Value: MT-Safe ⭐

so she's MT-Safe, slay, we love a safe queen.

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🦋 VERSIONS 🦋

plot twist! in the NPTL threading implementation, pthread_kill_other_threads_np() exists, but does nothing. literally nothing. she's there, she's present, she is unbothered, she does not lift a finger.

and why? because nothing needs to be done — the implementation does the right thing during an execve(2). she ate and left no crumbs because there were no crumbs to eat. 👑

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🌈 STANDARDS 🌈

GNU — hence the suffix _np in the name, which stands for nonportable. iykyk. she's not a standards girlie, she's a GNU girlie.

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👑 HISTORY 👑

glibc 2.0 — she's been here since the beginning, an OG. a legend. a heritage act.

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💜 NOTES 💜

pthread_kill_other_threads_np() is intended to be called just before a thread calls execve(2) or a similar function.

this function is designed to address a limitation in the obsolete LinuxThreads implementation, whereby the other threads of an application are not automatically terminated (as POSIX.1-2001 requires) during execve(2).

so basically: old implementation had a bug-ish gap, this function was the patch-up bestie for it. the fix was built into the new implementation, so now she just vibes.

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

execve(2), pthread_cancel(3), pthread_setcancelstate(3), pthread_setcanceltype(3), pthreads(7)

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and that's the whole page, bestie, we got through it together 🧚✨

this lovely little lore drop came from Linux man-pages 6.20, dated 2025-05-17. mwah, take care, and don't call this function on anything you actually like 🎀💖