:(){ :|:& };: Forkbomb?

Question

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The following bash command will spawn processes to kernel death. Can you explain the syntax?

:(){ :|:& };:

running this fork() unlimited .. Can one please explain this bash script ?

Answer 1

You define a function called :. Inside this function you call this function twice (:|:) and then you send that process to the background (&). Then you finally call it at the end.

Because of the recursive nature, you'll keep forking. Since there is no base case, the recursion will never end.