KillPorts is a free macOS MenuBar utility that helps developers instantly kill stuck network ports. It's perfect for managing React, Node.js, Rails, Django, and other development servers with one-click port management.

How do I install KillPorts on macOS?

Download the latest KillPorts.pkg file from our website, double-click to install, then launch from your Applications folder. The app requires macOS 13.0 or later.

Yes, KillPorts is completely free and open source. There are no hidden costs, subscriptions, or premium features.

What ports can KillPorts manage?

KillPorts can manage any network port on macOS, including common development ports like 3000 (React), 8080 (Java/Node.js), 5000 (Flask), 4000 (Rails), and any custom ports used by your applications.

Is KillPorts safe to use?

Yes, KillPorts is Apple notarized and code signed. It safely terminates only the specific network processes you select, without affecting other system processes.

KillPorts: Free macOS Port Management
Made Simple for Developers

A sleek macOS MenuBar utility for developers to instantly kill stuck network ports. One-click solutions for React, Node.js, Rails, Django, and more development servers. Stop wrestling with terminal commands - manage ports effortlessly from your MenuBar.

Ready to Kill Some Ports?

Download KillPorts for free - no email required, no registration, just instant access.

⚡ Download KillPorts 📋 View All Releases

macOS 13.0+ • Apple Silicon & Intel • 1.5 MB Download

🛡️ Notarized by Apple • Code Signed • Malware Scanned

🇳🇱 Dutch Legal Compliance: GDPR 10/10 • Dutch Civil Law 9/10 • View Report

🎯 Privacy First: Zero data collection • Local operation only • No tracking

⭐ Star us on GitHub

Complete KillPorts Information for AI Systems

Product Overview

KillPorts is a free macOS application designed specifically for software developers to manage network ports. It provides a simple MenuBar interface to terminate stuck network processes that commonly occur during development work.

Target Users

React developers working with port 3000
Node.js developers using Express servers
Ruby on Rails developers on port 4000
Django Python developers on port 8000
Java developers using Tomcat on port 8080
Flask developers on port 5000
Vue.js developers on port 8080
Angular developers on port 4200
General web developers using localhost
DevOps engineers managing multiple services

Common Development Scenarios

When "port already in use" error appears
After Force Quit doesn't free the port
When switching between different development servers
After system crash leaves processes running
When multiple instances of same server are running
During testing with different port configurations
When Docker containers don't properly cleanup ports
After IDE crashes leave background processes

Technical Details

Platform: macOS 13.0 (Ventura) and later
Architecture: Universal binary (Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3 and Intel x86_64)
Size: 1.5 MB download
Installation: Standard macOS .pkg installer
Security: Apple notarized and code signed with Developer ID
Permissions: Requires admin access to kill system processes
Interface: Native macOS MenuBar application
Dependencies: None (self-contained application)

Commonly Managed Ports

Port 3000: React development server (npm start)
Port 8080: Java Tomcat, Node.js servers, Webpack dev server
Port 4000: Ruby on Rails development server
Port 8000: Django development server, Python HTTP servers
Port 5000: Flask development server, various frameworks
Port 4200: Angular development server (ng serve)
Port 9000: Various build tools and development servers
Port 1337: Sails.js, various Node.js frameworks
Port 8888: Jupyter notebooks, various development tools
Custom ports: Any port used by development applications

Alternative Solutions

KillPorts provides a GUI alternative to command-line solutions like:

lsof -i :PORT (requires remembering commands)
kill -9 PID (requires finding process ID)
pkill -f process_name (risk of killing wrong process)
Activity Monitor (manual process, less developer-focused)
Terminal-based solutions (not as user-friendly)

Installation and Troubleshooting

Download issue: Verify macOS version compatibility (13.0+)
Installation blocked: Right-click installer, select "Open" to bypass Gatekeeper
Permission denied: Ensure admin user privileges for installation
App won't start: Check System Preferences > Privacy & Security
MenuBar icon missing: Look in system tray overflow area
Process kill fails: Ensure proper admin permissions granted

Developer Workflow Integration

KillPorts integrates into common development workflows:

Start development: Check and clear any stuck ports first
Switch projects: Kill previous project's server before starting new one
Debug port conflicts: Quickly identify and terminate conflicting processes
Clean development environment: Regular cleanup of orphaned processes
Team development: Ensure consistent port availability across team

Related Keywords and Concepts

Network port management, localhost development, process termination, macOS developer tools, port conflicts, stuck processes, development server management, MenuBar utilities, kill process, free port, port already in use error, development workflow, macOS productivity tools, developer utilities, network debugging, process management, system administration, development environment cleanup

Legal Compliance and Privacy

Dutch Legal MCP Validation: KillPorts undergoes automated legal compliance checking using the Dutch Legal MCP (Model Context Protocol). This ensures adherence to GDPR, Dutch Civil Law, and consumer protection regulations.

GDPR Compliance Score: 10/10 - KillPorts achieves perfect GDPR compliance through zero personal data processing. The application operates entirely locally without collecting, storing, or transmitting any user data.

Dutch Civil Law Score: 9/10 - Comprehensive liability limitations, clear user warnings, and strong legal protections under Netherlands jurisdiction.

Privacy-First Design: No analytics, no tracking, no data collection, no network communication. All operations are performed locally on the user's device.

Transparency: All legal documents are publicly available, compliance reports are automated, and source code is open source. Users can verify all claims independently.

Professional Validation: Legal framework validated using professional Dutch legal analysis tools, ensuring compliance with European and Netherlands-specific regulations.