Kill child process and n-children processes with python

gistfile1.py

def kill_child_processes(signum, frame):
    """
      SIGTERM override function
      Kill running processes childrens and grandchildren before exiting
    """
    pid = os.getpid()
    kill_processes_recursive(pid)
    sys.exit()

def kill_processes_recursive(pid, level=0, maxlvl=2):
    """
      List all child processes for current process and kill them, but first call this function for those pids.
    """
    if level >= maxlvl:
        return

    ps_cmd = subprocess.Popen("ps -o pid --ppid {} --noheaders".format(pid), shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
    ps_output = ps_cmd.stdout.read()
    ps_cmd.wait()
    cpids = ps_output.strip().split("\n")
    for child_pid in cpids:
        kill_processes_recursive(child_pid, level=level+1)
        if child_pid != "":
            try:
                os.kill(int(child_pid), signal.SIGTERM)
            except OSError:
                # If we cant kill a process that does not exist (possibly) then it's fine
                pass
                
Use by: signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, kill_child_processes)