# abort

## PROLOG



           This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The
           Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the
           corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or
           the interface may not be implemented on Linux.
    


## NAME



           abort — generate an abnormal process abort
    


## SYNOPSIS



           #include <stdlib.h>
    
           void abort(void);
    


## DESCRIPTION



           The functionality described on this reference page is aligned with
           the ISO C standard. Any conflict between the requirements
           described here and the ISO C standard is unintentional. This
           volume of POSIX.1‐2017 defers to the ISO C standard.
    
           The _abort_() function shall cause abnormal process termination to
           occur, unless the signal SIGABRT is being caught and the signal
           handler does not return.
    
           The abnormal termination processing shall include the default
           actions defined for SIGABRT and may include an attempt to effect
           _fclose_() on all open streams.
    
           The SIGABRT signal shall be sent to the calling process as if by
           means of _raise_() with the argument SIGABRT.
    
           The status made available to _wait_(), _waitid_(), or _waitpid_() by
           _abort_() shall be that of a process terminated by the SIGABRT
           signal.  The _abort_() function shall override blocking or ignoring
           the SIGABRT signal.
    


## RETURN VALUE



           The _abort_() function shall not return.
    


## ERRORS



           No errors are defined.
    
           _The following sections are informative._
    


## EXAMPLES



           None.
    


## APPLICATION USAGE



           Catching the signal is intended to provide the application
           developer with a portable means to abort processing, free from
           possible interference from any implementation-supplied functions.
    


## RATIONALE



           The ISO/IEC 9899:1999 standard requires the _abort_() function to be
           async-signal-safe. Since POSIX.1‐2008 defers to the ISO C
           standard, this required a change to the DESCRIPTION from ``shall
           include the effect of _fclose_()'' to ``may include an attempt to
           effect _fclose_().''
    
           The revised wording permits some backwards-compatibility and
           avoids a potential deadlock situation.
    
           The Open Group Base Resolution bwg2002‐003 is applied, removing
           the following XSI shaded paragraph from the DESCRIPTION:
    
           ``On XSI-conformant systems, in addition the abnormal termination
           processing shall include the effect of _fclose_() on message catalog
           descriptors.''
    
           There were several reasons to remove this paragraph:
    
            *  No special processing of open message catalogs needs to be
               performed prior to abnormal process termination.
    
            *  The main reason to specifically mention that _abort_() includes
               the effect of _fclose_() on open streams is to flush output
               queued on the stream. Message catalogs in this context are
               read-only and, therefore, do not need to be flushed.
    
            *  The effect of _fclose_() on a message catalog descriptor is
               unspecified. Message catalog descriptors are allowed, but not
               required to be implemented using a file descriptor, but there
               is no mention in POSIX.1‐2008 of a message catalog descriptor
               using a standard I/O stream FILE object as would be expected
               by _fclose_().
    


## FUTURE DIRECTIONS



           None.
    


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