Option to reclaim memory even when there are background processes (disowned or nohup)
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Description
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I use powerline to customize the shell prompt (it has TMUX integration where others don't).
The tool always have a powerline-daemon process running at the background.
This prevents WSL2 from reclaiming the memory even when I exit all the shell prompts.
> wsl -- ps auxf
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND
root 1 0.0 0.0 900 528 ? Sl 20:28 0:00 /init
root 8 0.0 0.0 900 84 ? S 20:28 0:00 /init
tigerin+ 1277 3.7 0.4 141228 53112 ? Sl 20:42 0:00 \_ /usr/bin/python3 /home/tigerinus/.local/bin/powerline-daemon -q
root 1571 0.0 0.0 900 84 ? Ss 20:42 0:00 /init
root 1572 0.0 0.0 900 84 ? S 20:42 0:00 \_ /init
tigerin+ 1573 0.0 0.0 9668 3300 pts/0 Rs+ 20:42 0:00 \_ ps auxf
Describe the solution you'd like
It'd be nice to add an option, such that when there is no active pts session, i.e. shell session, regardless how many headless (i.e. pty-less) processes, WSL2 will proceed and reclaim the memory.
Describe alternatives you've considered
I've tried including a script in .bash_logout such that when this is the last PTY session, call powerline-daemon -k to kill the background process, so later WSL2 will be able to reclaim.
Obviously, this works for this specific process only.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
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- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
The issue names no source files or tests. Start by tracing WSL2's memory-reclaim behavior and how it detects active PTY sessions; done means an option allows reclaiming memory when only headless processes remain, with coverage for active and inactive PTY cases.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- linux
- Domain
- operating-systems
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100