An armistice is a formal agreement between two or more warring parties to stop fighting, although it is not necessarily the end of a war. It may only constitute a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. The terms, scope, and duration of an armistice are determined by the contracting belligerents. An armistice agreement may involve a partial or temporary cessation of hostilities, called a local armistice or truce, established for a variety of specific purposes, such as collecting the dead. Or it may involve a general armistice, which is a total cessation of all hostilities. However, a total cessation is not recognized as a de facto termination of the war legally. An armistice is different from a peace treaty, which may take months or even years to agree on.

Under international law, an armistice is a legal agreement that ends fighting between the "belligerent parties" of a war or conflict. The general rules regarding an armistice were formulated at the Hague Peace Conference of 1907 and are contained in the Hague land war regulations. According to the provisions of these regulations, hostilities can be resumed in an indefinite armistice following proper notification or serious violation of the armistice. Acts that constitute a serious violation include a deliberate advance, seizure of any point outside a party’s line, and withdrawal of troops from an unfavorable or weak position. Only a government may take the initiative in proposing an armistice.

In summary, an armistice is a military agreement suspending active hostilities between the belligerents, which can be local or general, and is not necessarily the end of a war. It is a modus vivendi and is not the same as a peace treaty.