Description: The handling of halt signals refers to the process by which an operating system receives and manages signals indicating that a process should terminate its execution. These signals are fundamental for process management in operating systems, allowing administrators and processes themselves to communicate the need to stop in a controlled manner. Signals can be sent by the system, by other processes, or even by the user, and can have different levels of priority and behavior. For example, the SIGTERM signal requests a process to stop in an orderly manner, allowing it to perform cleanup tasks before terminating, while the SIGKILL signal forces immediate termination of the process without allowing any prior action. Proper management of these signals is crucial for maintaining system stability and integrity, as improper handling can lead to data loss or an inconsistent system state. In the context of various init systems, handling halt signals becomes an essential aspect to ensure that services stop properly and in the correct order, contributing to a clean and efficient system shutdown.
