> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ns.rocks/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Shutdown Running Machines

> Pause, hibernate, or destroy running machines from the CLI.

Use shutdown commands deliberately: `pause`/`hibernate` preserve state for
resume, while `kill` destroys the machine and releases resources.

## Pause Or Hibernate

`pause` and `hibernate` are aliases in the CLI:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine pause mch_123
nullspace machine hibernate mch_123
```

The API snapshots the running machine and stops the active VM. Resume later from
the returned snapshot ID:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine resume snap_123
```

For reusable baselines that can spawn many independent children, create an
explicit snapshot:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace snapshot create mch_123
nullspace snapshot list --machine-id mch_123
```

## Set Idle Timeout Behavior

Configure what should happen when a machine idles:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine timeout set mch_123 --seconds 300 --action hibernate
```

You can also choose timeout behavior at create time:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine create --template base --on-timeout pause --auto-resume
```

Use auto-resume when SDK calls or public traffic should wake the hibernated
machine automatically.

## Destroy A Machine

Destroy a machine when work is complete:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine kill mch_123
```

`kill` is the cleanup command used by the CLI and SDK context-manager flows. It
is appropriate for disposable workspaces, one-off tests, and failed runs that do
not need to be resumed.

## Clean Up Processes First

If you only need to stop a long-running command inside a still-useful machine,
kill the process instead:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"one-light","dark":"one-dark-pro"}}
nullspace machine process list mch_123
nullspace machine process kill mch_123 1234
```

## Related

* [Persistence](../machines/persistence)
* [Auto-Resume](../machines/auto-resume)
* [Snapshots](../machines/snapshots)
* [Destroy](../concepts/destroy)