pthread_kill(3THR)

pthread_kill(3THR) is the thread analog of kill(2)—it sends a signal to a specific thread. This, of course, is different from sending a signal to a process. When a signal is sent to a process, the signal can be handled by any thread in the process. A signal sent by pthread_kill() can be handled only by the specified thread.

Note than you can use pthread_kill() to send signals only to threads in the current process. This is because the thread identifier (type thread_t) is local in scope—it is not possible to name a thread in any process but your own.

Note also that the action taken (handler, SIG_DFL, SIG_IGN) on receipt of a signal by the target thread is global, as usual. This means, for example, that if you send SIGXXX to a thread, and the SIGXXX signal disposition for the process is to kill the process, then the whole process is killed when the target thread receives the signal.