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Glossary

Linux Out of Memory Killer (OOM Killer)

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Definition: What Is Out of Memory Killer (OOM Killer)?

The Out of Memory Killer (OOM Killer) is a component of the Linux kernel designed to prevent system-wide memory exhaustion, which could lead to system instability or unresponsiveness. When a Linux system runs out of available physical or swap memory due to excessive memory usage by processes, the OOM Killer intervenes to free up memory and maintain system stability.

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