man/systemd-run.xml

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   6   SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+
   7
   8   Copyright © 2013 Zbigniew Jędrzejewski-Szmek
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  10
  11 <refentry id="systemd-run"
  12           xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude">
  13
  14   <refentryinfo>
  15     <title>systemd-run</title>
  16     <productname>systemd</productname>
  17
  18     <authorgroup>
  19       <author>
  20         <contrib>Developer</contrib>
  21         <firstname>Lennart</firstname>
  22         <surname>Poettering</surname>
  23         <email>lennart@poettering.net</email>
  24       </author>
  25     </authorgroup>
  26   </refentryinfo>
  27
  28   <refmeta>
  29     <refentrytitle>systemd-run</refentrytitle>
  30     <manvolnum>1</manvolnum>
  31   </refmeta>
  32
  33   <refnamediv>
  34     <refname>systemd-run</refname>
  35     <refpurpose>Run programs in transient scope units, service units, or path-, socket-, or timer-triggered service units</refpurpose>
  36   </refnamediv>
  37
  38   <refsynopsisdiv>
  39     <cmdsynopsis>
  40       <command>systemd-run</command>
  41       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">OPTIONS</arg>
  42       <arg choice="plain"><replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable>
  43       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">ARGS</arg>
  44       </arg>
  45     </cmdsynopsis>
  46     <cmdsynopsis>
  47       <command>systemd-run</command>
  48       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">OPTIONS</arg>
  49       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">PATH OPTIONS</arg>
  50       <arg choice="req"><replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable></arg>
  51       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">ARGS</arg>
  52     </cmdsynopsis>
  53     <cmdsynopsis>
  54       <command>systemd-run</command>
  55       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">OPTIONS</arg>
  56       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">SOCKET OPTIONS</arg>
  57       <arg choice="req"><replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable></arg>
  58       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">ARGS</arg>
  59     </cmdsynopsis>
  60     <cmdsynopsis>
  61       <command>systemd-run</command>
  62       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">OPTIONS</arg>
  63       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">TIMER OPTIONS</arg>
  64       <arg choice="req"><replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable></arg>
  65       <arg choice="opt" rep="repeat">ARGS</arg>
  66     </cmdsynopsis>
  67   </refsynopsisdiv>
  68
  69   <refsect1>
  70     <title>Description</title>
  71
  72     <para><command>systemd-run</command> may be used to create and start a transient <filename>.service</filename> or
  73     <filename>.scope</filename> unit and run the specified <replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable> in it. It may also be
  74     used to create and start a transient <filename>.path</filename>, <filename>.socket</filename>, or
  75     <filename>.timer</filename> unit, that activates a <filename>.service</filename> unit when elapsing.</para>
  76
  77     <para>If a command is run as transient service unit, it will be started and managed by the service manager like any
  78     other service, and thus shows up in the output of <command>systemctl list-units</command> like any other unit. It
  79     will run in a clean and detached execution environment, with the service manager as its parent process. In this
  80     mode, <command>systemd-run</command> will start the service asynchronously in the background and return after the
  81     command has begun execution (unless <option>--no-block</option> or <option>--wait</option> are specified, see
  82     below).</para>
  83
  84     <para>If a command is run as transient scope unit, it will be executed by <command>systemd-run</command> itself as
  85     parent process and will thus inherit the execution environment of the caller. However, the processes of the command
  86     are managed by the service manager similar to normal services, and will show up in the output of <command>systemctl
  87     list-units</command>. Execution in this case is synchronous, and will return only when the command finishes. This
  88     mode is enabled via the <option>--scope</option> switch (see below). </para>
  89
  90     <para>If a command is run with path, socket, or timer options such as <option>--on-calendar=</option> (see below),
  91     a transient path, socket, or timer unit is created alongside the service unit for the specified command. Only the
  92     transient path, socket, or timer unit is started immediately, the transient service unit will be triggered by the
  93     path, socket, or timer unit. If the <option>--unit=</option> option is specified, the
  94     <replaceable>COMMAND</replaceable> may be omitted. In this case, <command>systemd-run</command> creates only a
  95     <filename>.path</filename>, <filename>.socket</filename>, or <filename>.timer</filename> unit that triggers the
  96     specified unit.</para>
  97   </refsect1>
  98
  99   <refsect1>
 100     <title>Options</title>
 101
 102     <para>The following options are understood:</para>
 103
 104     <variablelist>
 105       <varlistentry>
 106         <term><option>--no-ask-password</option></term>
 107
 108         <listitem><para>Do not query the user for authentication for
 109         privileged operations.</para></listitem>
 110       </varlistentry>
 111
 112       <varlistentry>
 113         <term><option>--scope</option></term>
 114
 115         <listitem>
 116           <para>Create a transient <filename>.scope</filename> unit instead of the default transient
 117           <filename>.service</filename> unit (see above).
 118           </para>
 119         </listitem>
 120       </varlistentry>
 121
 122       <varlistentry>
 123         <term><option>--unit=</option></term>
 124
 125         <listitem><para>Use this unit name instead of an automatically
 126         generated one.</para></listitem>
 127       </varlistentry>
 128
 129       <varlistentry>
 130         <term><option>--property=</option></term>
 131         <term><option>-p</option></term>
 132
 133         <listitem><para>Sets a property on the scope or service unit that is created. This option takes an assignment
 134         in the same format as
 135         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>'s
 136         <command>set-property</command> command.</para>
 137         </listitem>
 138       </varlistentry>
 139
 140       <varlistentry>
 141         <term><option>--description=</option></term>
 142
 143         <listitem><para>Provide a description for the service, scope, path, socket, or timer unit. If not specified,
 144         the command itself will be used as a description. See <varname>Description=</varname> in
 145         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.
 146         </para></listitem>
 147       </varlistentry>
 148
 149       <varlistentry>
 150         <term><option>--slice=</option></term>
 151
 152         <listitem><para>Make the new <filename>.service</filename> or <filename>.scope</filename> unit part of the
 153         specified slice, instead of <filename>system.slice</filename>.</para>
 154         </listitem>
 155       </varlistentry>
 156
 157       <varlistentry>
 158         <term><option>-r</option></term>
 159         <term><option>--remain-after-exit</option></term>
 160
 161         <listitem><para>After the service process has terminated, keep the service around until it is explicitly
 162         stopped. This is useful to collect runtime information about the service after it finished running. Also see
 163         <varname>RemainAfterExit=</varname> in
 164         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.
 165         </para>
 166         </listitem>
 167       </varlistentry>
 168
 169       <varlistentry>
 170         <term><option>--send-sighup</option></term>
 171
 172         <listitem><para>When terminating the scope or service unit, send a SIGHUP immediately after SIGTERM. This is
 173         useful to indicate to shells and shell-like processes that the connection has been severed. Also see
 174         <varname>SendSIGHUP=</varname> in
 175         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.kill</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.
 176         </para>
 177         </listitem>
 178       </varlistentry>
 179
 180       <varlistentry>
 181         <term><option>--service-type=</option></term>
 182
 183         <listitem><para>Sets the service type. Also see
 184         <varname>Type=</varname> in
 185         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>. This
 186         option has no effect in conjunction with
 187         <option>--scope</option>. Defaults to
 188         <constant>simple</constant>.</para>
 189         </listitem>
 190       </varlistentry>
 191
 192       <varlistentry>
 193         <term><option>--uid=</option></term>
 194         <term><option>--gid=</option></term>
 195
 196         <listitem><para>Runs the service process under the specified UNIX user and group. Also see
 197         <varname>User=</varname> and <varname>Group=</varname> in
 198         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.</para>
 199         </listitem>
 200       </varlistentry>
 201
 202       <varlistentry>
 203         <term><option>--nice=</option></term>
 204
 205         <listitem><para>Runs the service process with the specified
 206         nice level. Also see <varname>Nice=</varname> in
 207         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.</para>
 208         </listitem>
 209       </varlistentry>
 210
 211       <varlistentry>
 212         <term><option>-E <replaceable>NAME</replaceable>=<replaceable>VALUE</replaceable></option></term>
 213         <term><option>--setenv=<replaceable>NAME</replaceable>=<replaceable>VALUE</replaceable></option></term>
 214
 215         <listitem><para>Runs the service process with the specified environment variable set.
 216         Also see <varname>Environment=</varname> in
 217         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.</para>
 218         </listitem>
 219       </varlistentry>
 220
 221       <varlistentry>
 222         <term><option>--pty</option></term>
 223         <term><option>-t</option></term>
 224
 225         <listitem><para>When invoking the command, the transient service connects its standard input, output and error
 226         to the terminal <command>systemd-run</command> is invoked on, via a pseudo TTY device. This allows running
 227         programs that expect interactive user input/output as services, such as interactive command shells.</para>
 228
 229         <para>Note that
 230         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>machinectl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>'s
 231         <command>shell</command> command is usually a better alternative for requesting a new, interactive login
 232         session on the local host or a local container.</para>
 233
 234         <para>See below for details on how this switch combines with <option>--pipe</option>.</para></listitem>
 235       </varlistentry>
 236
 237       <varlistentry>
 238         <term><option>--pipe</option></term>
 239         <term><option>-P</option></term>
 240
 241         <listitem><para>If specified, standard input, output, and error of the transient service are inherited from the
 242         <command>systemd-run</command> command itself. This allows <command>systemd-run</command>
 243         to be used within shell pipelines.
 244         Note that this mode is not suitable for interactive command shells and similar, as the
 245         service process will not become a TTY controller when invoked on a terminal. Use <option>--pty</option> instead
 246         in that case.</para>
 247
 248         <para>When both <option>--pipe</option> and <option>--pty</option> are used in combination the more appropriate
 249         option is automatically determined and used. Specifically, when invoked with standard input, output and error
 250         connected to a TTY <option>--pty</option> is used, and otherwise <option>--pipe</option>.</para>
 251
 252         <para>When this option is used the original file descriptors <command>systemd-run</command> receives are passed
 253         to the service processes as-is. If the service runs with different privileges than
 254         <command>systemd-run</command>, this means the service might not be able to re-open the passed file
 255         descriptors, due to normal file descriptor access restrictions. If the invoked process is a shell script that
 256         uses the <command>echo "hello" > /dev/stderr</command> construct for writing messages to stderr, this might
 257         cause problems, as this only works if stderr can be re-opened. To mitigate this use the construct <command>echo
 258         "hello" >&amp;2</command> instead, which is mostly equivalent and avoids this pitfall.</para></listitem>
 259       </varlistentry>
 260
 261       <varlistentry>
 262         <term><option>--quiet</option></term>
 263         <term><option>-q</option></term>
 264
 265         <listitem><para>Suppresses additional informational output
 266         while running. This is particularly useful in combination with
 267         <option>--pty</option> when it will suppress the initial
 268         message explaining how to terminate the TTY connection.</para></listitem>
 269       </varlistentry>
 270
 271       <varlistentry>
 272         <term><option>--on-active=</option></term>
 273         <term><option>--on-boot=</option></term>
 274         <term><option>--on-startup=</option></term>
 275         <term><option>--on-unit-active=</option></term>
 276         <term><option>--on-unit-inactive=</option></term>
 277
 278         <listitem><para>Defines a monotonic timer relative to different starting points for starting the specified
 279         command. See <varname>OnActiveSec=</varname>, <varname>OnBootSec=</varname>, <varname>OnStartupSec=</varname>,
 280         <varname>OnUnitActiveSec=</varname> and <varname>OnUnitInactiveSec=</varname> in
 281         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for
 282         details. These options are shortcuts for <command>--timer-property=</command> with the relevant properties.
 283         These options may not be combined with <option>--scope</option> or <option>--pty</option>.</para>
 284         </listitem>
 285       </varlistentry>
 286
 287       <varlistentry>
 288         <term><option>--on-calendar=</option></term>
 289
 290         <listitem><para>Defines a calendar timer for starting the specified command. See <varname>OnCalendar=</varname>
 291         in <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>. This
 292         option is a shortcut for <command>--timer-property=OnCalendar=</command>. This option may not be combined with
 293         <option>--scope</option> or <option>--pty</option>.</para>
 294         </listitem>
 295       </varlistentry>
 296
 297       <varlistentry>
 298         <term><option>--path-property=</option></term>
 299         <term><option>--socket-property=</option></term>
 300         <term><option>--timer-property=</option></term>
 301
 302         <listitem><para>Sets a property on the path, socket, or timer unit that is created. This option is similar to
 303         <option>--property=</option> but applies to the transient path, socket, or timer unit rather than the
 304         transient service unit created. This option takes an assignment in the same format as
 305         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>'s
 306         <command>set-property</command> command. These options may not be combined with
 307         <option>--scope</option> or <option>--pty</option>.</para>
 308         </listitem>
 309       </varlistentry>
 310
 311       <varlistentry>
 312         <term><option>--no-block</option></term>
 313
 314         <listitem>
 315           <para>Do not synchronously wait for the unit start operation to finish. If this option is not specified, the
 316           start request for the transient unit will be verified, enqueued and <command>systemd-run</command> will wait
 317           until the unit's start-up is completed. By passing this argument, it is only verified and enqueued. This
 318           option may not be combined with <option>--wait</option>.</para>
 319         </listitem>
 320       </varlistentry>
 321
 322       <varlistentry>
 323         <term><option>--wait</option></term>
 324
 325         <listitem><para>Synchronously wait for the transient service to terminate. If this option is specified, the
 326         start request for the transient unit is verified, enqueued, and waited for. Subsequently the invoked unit is
 327         monitored, and it is waited until it is deactivated again (most likely because the specified command
 328         completed). On exit, terse information about the unit's runtime is shown, including total runtime (as well as
 329         CPU usage, if <option>--property=CPUAccounting=1</option> was set) and the exit code and status of the main
 330         process. This output may be suppressed with <option>--quiet</option>. This option may not be combined with
 331         <option>--no-block</option>, <option>--scope</option> or the various path, socket, or timer options.</para></listitem>
 332       </varlistentry>
 333
 334       <varlistentry>
 335         <term><option>-G</option></term>
 336         <term><option>--collect</option></term>
 337
 338         <listitem><para>Unload the transient unit after it completed, even if it failed. Normally, without this option,
 339         all units that ran and failed are kept in memory until the user explicitly resets their failure state with
 340         <command>systemctl reset-failed</command> or an equivalent command. On the other hand, units that ran
 341         successfully are unloaded immediately. If this option is turned on the "garbage collection" of units is more
 342         aggressive, and unloads units regardless if they exited successfully or failed. This option is a shortcut for
 343         <command>--property=CollectMode=inactive-or-failed</command>, see the explanation for
 344         <varname>CollectMode=</varname> in
 345         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for further
 346         information.</para></listitem>
 347       </varlistentry>
 348
 349       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="user" />
 350       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="system" />
 351       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="host" />
 352       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="machine" />
 353
 354       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="help" />
 355       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="version" />
 356     </variablelist>
 357
 358     <para>All command line arguments after the first non-option
 359     argument become part of the command line of the launched
 360     process. If a command is run as service unit, the first argument
 361     needs to be an absolute program path.</para>
 362   </refsect1>
 363
 364   <refsect1>
 365     <title>Exit status</title>
 366
 367     <para>On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure
 368     code otherwise.</para>
 369   </refsect1>
 370
 371   <refsect1>
 372     <title>Examples</title>
 373
 374     <example>
 375       <title>Logging environment variables provided by systemd to services</title>
 376
 377       <programlisting># systemd-run env
 378 Running as unit: run-19945.service
 379 # journalctl -u run-19945.service
 380 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Starting /usr/bin/env...
 381 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Started /usr/bin/env.
 382 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
 383 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 384 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.11.0-0.rc5.git6.2.fc20.x86_64</programlisting>
 385     </example>
 386
 387     <example>
 388       <title>Limiting resources available to a command</title>
 389
 390       <programlisting># systemd-run -p BlockIOWeight=10 updatedb</programlisting>
 391
 392       <para>This command invokes the
 393       <citerefentry project='man-pages'><refentrytitle>updatedb</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 394       tool, but lowers the block I/O weight for it to 10. See
 395       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.resource-control</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 396       for more information on the <varname>BlockIOWeight=</varname>
 397       property.</para>
 398     </example>
 399
 400     <example>
 401       <title>Running commands at a specified time</title>
 402
 403       <para>The following command will touch a file after 30 seconds.</para>
 404
 405       <programlisting># date; systemd-run --on-active=30 --timer-property=AccuracySec=100ms /bin/touch /tmp/foo
 406 Mon Dec  8 20:44:24 KST 2014
 407 Running as unit: run-71.timer
 408 Will run service as unit: run-71.service
 409 # journalctl -b -u run-71.timer
 410 -- Logs begin at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, end at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
 411 Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
 412 Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
 413 # journalctl -b -u run-71.service
 414 -- Logs begin at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, end at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
 415 Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo...
 416 Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.</programlisting>
 417     </example>
 418
 419     <example>
 420       <title>Allowing access to the tty</title>
 421
 422       <para>The following command invokes <filename>/bin/bash</filename> as a service
 423       passing its standard input, output and error to the calling TTY.</para>
 424
 425       <programlisting># systemd-run -t --send-sighup /bin/bash</programlisting>
 426     </example>
 427
 428     <example>
 429       <title>Start <command>screen</command> as a user service</title>
 430
 431       <programlisting>$ systemd-run --scope --user screen
 432 Running scope as unit run-r14b0047ab6df45bfb45e7786cc839e76.scope.
 433
 434 $ screen -ls
 435 There is a screen on:
 436         492..laptop     (Detached)
 437 1 Socket in /var/run/screen/S-fatima.
 438 </programlisting>
 439
 440       <para>This starts the <command>screen</command> process as a child of the
 441       <command>systemd --user</command> process that was started by
 442       <filename>user@.service</filename>, in a scope unit. A
 443       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.scope</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 444       unit is used instead of a
 445       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 446       unit, because <command>screen</command> will exit when detaching from the terminal,
 447       and a service unit would be terminated. Running <command>screen</command>
 448       as a user unit has the advantage that it is not part of the session scope.
 449       If <varname>KillUserProcesses=yes</varname> is configured in
 450       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>logind.conf</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 451       the default, the session scope will be terminated when the user logs
 452       out of that session.</para>
 453
 454       <para>The <filename>user@.service</filename> is started automatically
 455       when the user first logs in, and stays around as long as at least one
 456       login session is open. After the user logs out of the last session,
 457       <filename>user@.service</filename> and all services underneath it
 458       are terminated. This behavior is the default, when "lingering" is
 459       not enabled for that user. Enabling lingering means that
 460       <filename>user@.service</filename> is started automatically during
 461       boot, even if the user is not logged in, and that the service is
 462       not terminated when the user logs out.</para>
 463
 464       <para>Enabling lingering allows the user to run processes without being logged in,
 465       for example to allow <command>screen</command> to persist after the user logs out,
 466       even if the session scope is terminated. In the default configuration, users can
 467       enable lingering for themselves:</para>
 468
 469       <programlisting>$ loginctl enable-linger</programlisting>
 470     </example>
 471   </refsect1>
 472
 473   <refsect1>
 474     <title>See Also</title>
 475     <para>
 476       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 477       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 478       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 479       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 480       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.scope</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 481       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.slice</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 482       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 483       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.resource-control</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 484       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 485       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd-mount</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 486       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>machinectl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 487     </para>
 488   </refsect1>
 489
 490 </refentry>