View and Manage WordPress Running Processes

To view and manage running processes and scheduled tasks (crons) on a WordPress site, use a mix of server commands for core processes and plugins for cron events. Direct WordPress “processes” typically run under PHP and your web server, while scheduled WordPress tasks (crons) are managed via the WP-Cron system.

Viewing & Stopping Server Processes

Most WordPress “processes” are PHP scripts run by the web server (Apache, Nginx). To see these and stop one:

• List all running processes (Linux/SSH access required):textps -aef Or for more detail:textps -aef | more
• Filter to WordPress-related processes: (e.g., PHP)textps -aef | grep 'php'
• Stop (kill) a process: Find its PID (process ID) from above.textkill -9 PID Replace PID with the number returned in the first column above. Only do this if you’re sure the process is safe to kill (for example, a stuck script or runaway process).​

Most shared hosting doesn’t expose individual process control. On VPS or dedicated Linux servers, SSH is required for this step.

Viewing & Stopping WordPress Cron Jobs

WordPress scheduled tasks (WP-Cron) run as “events.” To view and manage these easily:

• Install the WP Crontrol plugin (from Plugins > Add New, search “WP Crontrol”).​
• Navigate to Tools > Cron Events in your WordPress dashboard.
• Here, you’ll see all scheduled cron jobs, when they’ll run next, and what triggers them. Each job lists its hook name (e.g., wp_update_plugins) and offers options to “edit,” “run,” or “delete” the event.
• To stop (delete) a cron job: Click the Delete option next to the event. Only delete custom or plugin-added jobs; don’t remove core WordPress jobs (hooks beginning with wp_).​

Key Notes

• Plugin-based cron management (WP Crontrol) is the best way to audit, modify, or remove WordPress cron jobs without touching code.​
• To stop misbehaving plugins, you can disable the plugin from WordPress (Plugins > Deactivate) or rename the plugin folder via FTP if the backend isn’t loading.​

Summary Table

Action	Core Process	WP Cron Job
View Running	SSH: ps -aef ​	WP Crontrol: Tools > Cron Events ​
Stop/Kill	SSH: kill -9 PID ​	WP Crontrol: Delete job ​
Automation/Advanced Handling	Use system monitoring or Process Manager	Directly in WordPress dashboard (plugin)

This covers both aspects: real server-level PHP processes and the WordPress cron system. Always use caution when killing processes or deleting events, as it may affect site stability