IDLE(2)

NAME
idle - make process 0 idle

SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>

int idle(void);

DESCRIPTION
idle() is an internal system call used during bootstrap. It marks the process's pages as swappable, lowers its priority, and enters the main scheduling loop. idle() never returns.

Only process 0 may call idle(). Any user process, even a process with superuser permission, will receive EPERM.

RETURN VALUE
idle() never returns for process 0, and always returns -1 for a user process.

ERRORS

EPERM
    Always, for a user process.

CONFORMING TO
This function is Linux specific, and should not be used in programs intended to be portable.

NOTES
Since 2.3.13 this system call does not exist anymore.