Test: gracefully killing terminal processes

[meganrogge]

Refs #206607

• Windows @amunger
• macOS @aiday-mar
• Linux @rzhao271

Complexity: 4

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We’ve added an opt-in setting, terminal.integrated.killGracefully, to cleanly shut down terminal processes, including child processes. This helps avoid orphaned processes, frees up ports, and can reduce the risk of resource leaks.

• To begin, have that setting disabled
• Open a repo with a task or terminal command that uses a port (see example below)
• Run that task or command in the terminal
• Click the trash can to kill the terminal or close VS Code.
• Reopen that repo and rerun the command or task.
• You'll see an error about address in use.
• List all processes using that port (3000 or whatever yours is using): lsof -i :3000
• Run kill -9 PID
• Enable the setting.
• Repeat the above steps. You should not encounter an error - it should run successfully.

Example:

• clone https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/
• see Test: gracefully killing terminal processes #249671 (comment)
• run the task
• kill the terminal with the trash can
• run the task again

[aiday-mar]

I am currently not able to reproduce the first part of the TPI, that is that when the terminal is closed, the process keeps running without the setting. Here is what I see with the xterm repo:

Screen.Recording.2025-06-03.at.10.49.48.mov

I also see the following with a simple express server example running on port 3000:

Screen.Recording.2025-06-03.at.11.07.31.mov

Would there be another example you know of which causes this?

[meganrogge]

@aiday-mar did you also try when just clicking the trash can buttons on the terminals - not closing the window?

[meganrogge]

We attempt to already do this on Windows, so it's possible that's working, which is why you don't see an issue. if that's the case, maybe i'll tweak the setting to say this is for linux/macOS.

[aiday-mar]

Yep I also clicked on the trash can on the terminals. I was testing on macOS.

[meganrogge]

I see what you mean - can repro with xterm.js.

[meganrogge]

@aiday-mar my repro from this still works for me #248947 (comment)

clone https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/
then use the task that is shown in my gif for the PR

[meganrogge]

@aiday-mar remember that after before enabling the setting, you'll want to make sure to free the port via lsof -i :3000 then kill -9 <PID> to start from scratch.

[aiday-mar]

I was wondering if you are using a special branch on that repo? I can't seem to find a .vscode/tasks.json file, and the Run Task does not show the task from the screen recording. Running make do-cargo-run does not find it.

[meganrogge]

I created a tasks.json using a repro from a linked issue. If you do so using the contents pictured in my gif, it'll work for you.

[aiday-mar]

So when I create the tasks.json file, and execute the task I get the following:

Screen.Recording.2025-06-03.at.17.40.24.mov

with error:

make: *** No rule to make target `do-cargo-run'.  Stop.

 *  The terminal process "/bin/bash '-l', '-c', 'make do-cargo-run'" terminated with exit code: 2. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

Would you have the link to the original issue where this was discussed? The PR links to an issue which it fixes but this issue does not seem to reference the axum repo