The `docker kill` subcommand kills one or more containers. The main process inside the container is sent `SIGKILL` signal (default), or the signal that is specified with the `--signal` option. You can reference a container by its ID, ID-prefix, or name. The `--signal` flag sets the system call signal that is sent to the container. This signal can be a signal name in the format `SIG`, for instance `SIGINT`, or an unsigned number that matches a position in the kernel's syscall table, for instance `2`. While the default (`SIGKILL`) signal will terminate the container, the signal set through `--signal` may be non-terminal, depending on the container's main process. For example, the `SIGHUP` signal in most cases will be non-terminal, and the container will continue running after receiving the signal. > **Note** > > `ENTRYPOINT` and `CMD` in the *shell* form run as a child process of > `/bin/sh -c`, which does not pass signals. This means that the executable is > not the container’s PID 1 and does not receive Unix signals.