proc_sysrq-trigger(5)

✨ NAME ✨

/proc/sysrq-trigger — the SysRq function, bestie 💖

So like, this is the manual page for /proc/sysrq-trigger, and it lives in the File Formats Manual section of the man pages, in case you were wondering which section this vibe belongs to. 🎀

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

/proc/sysrq-trigger has been a thing since Linux 2.4.21, so she's been iconic for a minute. 👑

Here's the tea: you write a character to this file, and it triggers the exact same SysRq function as typing ALT-SysRq-<character> on your keyboard. Same energy, different delivery method, no cap. ⌨️✨

You're probably like "okay but what does the character actually do??" and that's so valid — the man page points you at the description of /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq, so go read that. 🙈

Also, heads up: this file is normally writable only by root. That's not a drill, that's just the permissions doing their job. If you're not root, this is not your moment. 💅

And if you want the full lore — the deep-cut, behind-the-scenes, director's-commentary version — go check out the Linux kernel source file Documentation/admin-guide/sysrq.rst. It's giving primary source. 📚

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• proc(5) — for all the other /proc goodness 🫶

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Okay that's the whole page, she's short but she serves. This was Linux man-pages 6.20, dated 2026-02-08, and yes, it's still proc_sysrq-trigger(5) at the end of the day. Mwah. 💖✨🌷