Exit Code 143 in Linux: Process Terminated by SIGTERM Signal

Exit Code 143 means the process was terminated by the SIGTERM (15) signal.

Unlike code 137 (SIGKILL), this signal allows the application to shut down gracefully.

Main Reasons

• Stopping the container via docker stop
• Stopping the service via systemctl stop
• Orchestrator (Kubernetes) terminates the Pod
• Manual termination of the process

When This Is a Problem

If code 143 appears:

• without your intervention
• regularly
• along with service restarts

— it's worth checking the configuration of systemd, Docker, or Kubernetes.

Important to Know

• 143 = 128 + 15
• 15 = SIGTERM
• This is a soft termination of the process

Conclusion

Exit Code 143 most often indicates a proper shutdown of the application.
It becomes a problem only when there are unexpected or cyclical process terminations.