Oomkilled Exit Code 137

When a process is terminated by the Linux kernel due to running out of memory, it is referred to as an "oomkilled" exit code 137. This occurs when the system's Out Of Memory (OOM) killer is invoked to free up memory by killing a process that is consuming too much memory and causing the system to become unresponsive.

The OOM killer is a feature of the Linux kernel that helps prevent the system from crashing due to running out of memory. When the system is low on memory and cannot allocate memory to a new process, the OOM killer will select a process to kill based on a set of criteria, such as the amount of memory the process is using and its priority.

When a process is killed by the OOM killer, it will receive an exit code of 137, indicating that it was terminated due to being out of memory. This exit code can be useful for troubleshooting and diagnosing issues related to memory consumption on a system.

In some cases, a process may be terminated by the OOM killer even if it is not consuming an excessive amount of memory. This can happen if the system is under heavy load and the OOM killer is forced to make a decision to free up memory quickly. In these situations, it is important to investigate the root cause of the memory pressure on the system and take steps to optimize memory usage.

Overall, understanding the oomkilled exit code 137 can help system administrators and developers effectively manage memory usage on a Linux system and prevent issues related to running out of memory. By monitoring memory usage, optimizing processes, and implementing resource limits, it is possible to minimize the likelihood of processes being terminated by the OOM killer and improve the overall stability and performance of the system.