Difference between End Process and End Process Tree

In the context of Windows Task Manager or process management in general, "End Process" and "End Process Tree" are two options that allow you to terminate running processes. They differ in how they handle child processes associated with the main process.

1. End Process:
   "End Process" terminates the selected process only. If the process has child processes (subprocesses) running, they are not affected and continue to run independently. It forcefully terminates the selected process, closing all its open files and freeing up resources associated with that process.

   However, ending the main process without terminating its child processes might leave some processes in an inconsistent state or cause them to become orphaned, which could lead to issues with resource management and stability.

2. End Process Tree:
   "End Process Tree" terminates not only the selected process but also all its child processes and their descendants in a hierarchical manner. When you choose this option, the selected process and all its subprocesses are forcefully terminated.

   Using "End Process Tree" ensures that all processes spawned by the selected main process are also terminated, preventing orphaned processes and potential resource leaks. It's a more comprehensive approach to terminating processes associated with the main process.

In summary, "End Process" terminates only the selected process, leaving any child processes running, while "End Process Tree" terminates the selected process and all its child processes in a hierarchical manner, ensuring a more complete termination of the entire process tree. The latter is typically the preferred option when dealing with processes that have child processes to avoid leaving any resources in an inconsistent state.