man/systemd-run.xml

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