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Systems & Data Center · Intermediate

Zombie Process

A process that has exited but whose entry remains in the process table because its parent has not collected its exit status.

Definition

Zombies (state Z) consume no CPU or memory beyond a process table slot; they disappear when the parent calls wait() or when the parent exits and init adopts and reaps them. They cannot be killed directly.

Example

ps aux shows a Z in the STAT column and <defunct> next to the command for a zombie.

Exam tip

You cannot kill a zombie; fix or restart its parent process.

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