Principle:Apache Spark Cluster Lifecycle Shutdown

Field	Value
Domains	Deployment, Distributed_Systems
Type	Principle
Related	Implementation:Apache_Spark_Stop_All

Overview

An ordered shutdown pattern that gracefully terminates distributed daemon processes in dependency-reverse order with optional blocking for confirmation.

Description

Shutting down a distributed cluster requires stopping processes in the correct order to prevent orphaned processes and data loss. The shutdown pattern enforces:

Reverse-dependency ordering -- workers must stop before the master to ensure graceful deregistration
Graceful decommissioning -- allows in-flight tasks to complete before termination
Signal-based control -- different signals trigger different shutdown behaviors (SIGTERM for immediate stop, SIGPWR for graceful decommission)
Blocking confirmation -- optional wait flag blocks until all processes have fully terminated

The two shutdown strategies serve different operational needs:

Immediate shutdown (SIGTERM) -- stops daemons promptly, suitable for maintenance windows
Graceful decommission (SIGPWR) -- allows running tasks to finish, suitable for rolling upgrades and capacity reduction

Usage

Use to stop a running standalone cluster. Choose the appropriate strategy based on operational requirements:

Full cluster shutdown -- use stop-all.sh to stop all workers then the master
Rolling maintenance -- use decommission-worker.sh on individual workers to drain tasks before stopping
Emergency stop -- use stop-all.sh for immediate termination of all daemons

Theoretical Basis

The shutdown follows reverse-dependency ordering:

stop(workers) -> wait(workers_down) -> stop(master)

For graceful decommissioning of individual workers:

send(SIGPWR) -> wait(tasks_complete) -> exit

Strategy	Signal	Behavior	Use Case
Immediate	SIGTERM	Stop daemon promptly	Maintenance windows
Graceful	SIGPWR	Drain tasks then stop	Rolling upgrades
Blocking	--wait flag	Wait for full termination	Scripted orchestration

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