AI engineering glossary · Computing foundations
What is PID (Process ID)?
Process ID (also called PID): A unique number the operating system assigns to each running process so that it can be identified, monitored or stopped. Tools such as task managers and kill commands refer to processes by this number.
Process ID: an example
If a stuck script has process ID 4821, you can stop it by sending a terminate signal to 4821.
Related terms
More Computing foundations terms
- Public-key cryptography
- Race condition
- Random access memory
- Reference counting
- Register
- Reverse proxy
- Round-trip time
- Router
Where you learn it
Process ID is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.