Signal
An operating-system signal is an asynchronous notification delivered to a process to report an event or request handling.
Modern C, Third Edition
An asynchronous signal is an externally generated notification delivered to a running program independently of its current instruction sequence.
- How it is used
- Handles externally triggered interruptions as part of exceptional control flow and failure response.
- How deep it goes
- Distinguishes synchronous from asynchronous events and illustrates handler setup, installation failure, and conditional atomic counting; does not specify a general handler-safety procedure.
- Examples
- Uses termination requests, faulting instructions, handler-installation output, and a conditional atomic call counter.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate/understand when an interruption is asynchronous and why handler installation and calls to `signal` need contextual checks.
Modern C
- How it is used
- Handles exceptional events that redirect C control flow, including instruction faults and external termination requests.
- How deep it goes
- Defines synchronous and asynchronous events and works through handler registration and behavior, while treating C’s signal interface as rudimentary.
- Examples
- Uses a handler that branches on SIGTERM, SIGABRT, and SIGCONT, plus installation output showing a failed SIGKILL registration.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via C’s signal interface to install a handler and defer most interrupt handling to the interrupted context.
Rust in Action: Systems programming concepts and techniques
A signal is an asynchronous operating-system notification delivered to a process to report an event or request handling.
- How it is used
- Shows how an operating system notifies applications and how running programs can communicate without sending message content.
- How deep it goes
- Defines signals, contrasts them with CPU interrupts, and gives a handler pattern; leaves direct kernel interrupt handling aside.
- Examples
- Uses SIGINT, SIGTERM, and SIGKILL to distinguish termination behavior, then uses a handler-set flag checked by a main loop.
- What you can do after
- Practice/perform it by keeping a signal handler brief and checking its flag from the main loop.
Read how Rust in Action: Systems programming concepts and techniques explains signal →
Related concepts
- SIGTERMincludes · SIGTERM is an operating-system signal conventionally used to request that a process terminate, typically allowing orderly shutdown.
These guides are generated from the text of Manning books by Manning's knowledge graph and link to the sections they draw on. The full books are available on liveBook and at manning.com.