claude-orphan-cleanup

Orphaned Claude Code processes are background bash operations adopted by init (PID 1) after the main CLI crashes or gets interrupted. They continue running and consuming CPU cycles because the parent process is no longer managing them.

You can identify stuck Claude Code CLI processes by listing processes with PPID=1 and command-line patterns associated with Claude's internal operations like shell snapshots and SDK components. A dry-run option allows listing these processes before terminating them.

Yes, Claude orphan cleanup works on both macOS and Linux systems. It specifically targets processes with PPID=1 and command-line patterns associated with Claude's internal operations, providing compatible process detection and termination across both operating systems.

Yes, you can force-kill stuck Claude Code processes for automated cleanup. The skill provides options for dry-run listing, killing with confirmation, and force-killing, allowing you to automate the termination of rogue processes consuming excessive CPU resources.

High CPU usage after using Claude Code is typically caused by orphaned CLI processes running in the background. When the main Claude process crashes or is interrupted, background bash processes are adopted by init and continue consuming resources, requiring cleanup to restore normal CPU levels.