"kill" function for git bash on windows

windows-kill.bashrc

kill() {
    local name="${1}"
    if [ -z "$name" ];
    then
        echo ">> Enter a process name and press [ENTER] (partial matching)"
        read name
    fi
    
    wmic process where "name like '%$name%'" delete
}

alias kill-java="kill java"
alias kill-node="kill node"
alias kill-bash="kill bash"
alias kill-chrome="kill chrome"

windows-kill.md

kill for windows

A shortcut to eliminate processes on windows.

In a typical web development workflow on windows, we are working with git bash rather than cmd or PowerShell. Windows has a nifty but verbose way of killing processes based on a (partial) match of the process name: wmic process where "name like '%some string%'" delete. This function is just a convenience wrapper around it.

Usage

There are two ways of using the function: With argument or without.

with argument

When called with an argument, any process that has a name matching the argument will be killed.

This example kills any java process, but also any other process with jav in the name (like an imaginary javelin process):

$ kill jav

without argument

If you just type kill and hit enter, you will be prompted for a process name/matcher to kill. You then type it in a second step and hit enter again:

$ kill
>> Enter a process name and press [ENTER] (partial matching)
jav