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         programs 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. This allows <command>systemd-run</command>
 240         to be used within shell pipelines.
 241         Note that this mode is not suitable for interactive command shells and similar, as the
 242         service process will become a TTY controller when invoked on a terminal. Use <option>--pty</option> instead
 243         in that case.</para>
 244
 245         <para>When both <option>--pipe</option> and <option>--pty</option> are used in combination the more appropriate
 246         option is automatically determined and used. Specifically, when invoked with standard input, output and error
 247         connected to a TTY <option>--pty</option> is used, and otherwise <option>--pipe</option>.</para></listitem>
 248       </varlistentry>
 249
 250       <varlistentry>
 251         <term><option>--quiet</option></term>
 252         <term><option>-q</option></term>
 253
 254         <listitem><para>Suppresses additional informational output
 255         while running. This is particularly useful in combination with
 256         <option>--pty</option> when it will suppress the initial
 257         message explaining how to terminate the TTY connection.</para></listitem>
 258       </varlistentry>
 259
 260       <varlistentry>
 261         <term><option>--on-active=</option></term>
 262         <term><option>--on-boot=</option></term>
 263         <term><option>--on-startup=</option></term>
 264         <term><option>--on-unit-active=</option></term>
 265         <term><option>--on-unit-inactive=</option></term>
 266
 267         <listitem><para>Defines a monotonic timer relative to different starting points for starting the specified
 268         command. See <varname>OnActiveSec=</varname>, <varname>OnBootSec=</varname>, <varname>OnStartupSec=</varname>,
 269         <varname>OnUnitActiveSec=</varname> and <varname>OnUnitInactiveSec=</varname> in
 270         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for
 271         details. These options may not be combined with <option>--scope</option> or <option>--pty</option>.</para>
 272         </listitem>
 273       </varlistentry>
 274
 275       <varlistentry>
 276         <term><option>--on-calendar=</option></term>
 277
 278         <listitem><para>Defines a calendar timer for starting the specified command. See <varname>OnCalendar=</varname>
 279         in <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>. This
 280         option may not be combined with <option>--scope</option> or <option>--pty</option>.</para>
 281         </listitem>
 282       </varlistentry>
 283
 284       <varlistentry>
 285         <term><option>--timer-property=</option></term>
 286
 287         <listitem><para>Sets a property on the timer unit that is created. This option is similar to
 288         <option>--property=</option> but applies to the transient timer unit rather than the transient service unit
 289         created. This option only has an effect in conjunction with <option>--on-active=</option>,
 290         <option>--on-boot=</option>, <option>--on-startup=</option>, <option>--on-unit-active=</option>,
 291         <option>--on-unit-inactive=</option> or <option>--on-calendar=</option>. This option takes an assignment in the
 292         same format as <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>'s
 293         <command>set-property</command> command.</para> </listitem>
 294       </varlistentry>
 295
 296       <varlistentry>
 297         <term><option>--no-block</option></term>
 298
 299         <listitem>
 300           <para>Do not synchronously wait for the unit start operation to finish. If this option is not specified, the
 301           start request for the transient unit will be verified, enqueued and <command>systemd-run</command> will wait
 302           until the unit's start-up is completed. By passing this argument, it is only verified and enqueued. This
 303           option may not be combined with <option>--wait</option>.</para>
 304         </listitem>
 305       </varlistentry>
 306
 307       <varlistentry>
 308         <term><option>--wait</option></term>
 309
 310         <listitem><para>Synchronously wait for the transient service to terminate. If this option is specified, the
 311         start request for the transient unit is verified, enqueued, and waited for. Subsequently the invoked unit is
 312         monitored, and it is waited until it is deactivated again (most likely because the specified command
 313         completed). On exit, terse information about the unit's runtime is shown, including total runtime (as well as
 314         CPU usage, if <option>--property=CPUAccounting=1</option> was set) and the exit code and status of the main
 315         process. This output may be suppressed with <option>--quiet</option>. This option may not be combined with
 316         <option>--no-block</option>, <option>--scope</option> or the various timer options.</para></listitem>
 317       </varlistentry>
 318
 319       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="user" />
 320       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="system" />
 321       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="host" />
 322       <xi:include href="user-system-options.xml" xpointer="machine" />
 323
 324       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="help" />
 325       <xi:include href="standard-options.xml" xpointer="version" />
 326     </variablelist>
 327
 328     <para>All command line arguments after the first non-option
 329     argument become part of the command line of the launched
 330     process. If a command is run as service unit, its first argument
 331     needs to be an absolute binary path.</para>
 332   </refsect1>
 333
 334   <refsect1>
 335     <title>Exit status</title>
 336
 337     <para>On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure
 338     code otherwise.</para>
 339   </refsect1>
 340
 341   <refsect1>
 342     <title>Examples</title>
 343
 344     <example>
 345       <title>Logging environment variables provided by systemd to services</title>
 346
 347       <programlisting># systemd-run env
 348 Running as unit: run-19945.service
 349 # journalctl -u run-19945.service
 350 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Starting /usr/bin/env...
 351 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Started /usr/bin/env.
 352 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
 353 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 354 Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.11.0-0.rc5.git6.2.fc20.x86_64</programlisting>
 355     </example>
 356
 357     <example>
 358       <title>Limiting resources available to a command</title>
 359
 360       <programlisting># systemd-run -p BlockIOWeight=10 updatedb</programlisting>
 361
 362       <para>This command invokes the
 363       <citerefentry project='man-pages'><refentrytitle>updatedb</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 364       tool, but lowers the block I/O weight for it to 10. See
 365       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.resource-control</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 366       for more information on the <varname>BlockIOWeight=</varname>
 367       property.</para>
 368     </example>
 369
 370     <example>
 371       <title>Running commands at a specified time</title>
 372
 373       <para>The following command will touch a file after 30 seconds.</para>
 374
 375       <programlisting># date; systemd-run --on-active=30 --timer-property=AccuracySec=100ms /bin/touch /tmp/foo
 376 Mon Dec  8 20:44:24 KST 2014
 377 Running as unit: run-71.timer
 378 Will run service as unit: run-71.service
 379 # journalctl -b -u run-71.timer
 380 -- Logs begin at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, end at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
 381 Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
 382 Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
 383 # journalctl -b -u run-71.service
 384 -- Logs begin at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, end at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
 385 Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo...
 386 Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.</programlisting>
 387     </example>
 388
 389     <example>
 390       <title>Allowing access to the tty</title>
 391
 392       <para>The following command invokes <filename>/bin/bash</filename> as a service
 393       passing its standard input, output and error to the calling TTY.</para>
 394
 395       <programlisting># systemd-run -t --send-sighup /bin/bash</programlisting>
 396     </example>
 397
 398     <example>
 399       <title>Start <command>screen</command> as a user service</title>
 400
 401       <programlisting>$ systemd-run --scope --user screen
 402 Running scope as unit run-r14b0047ab6df45bfb45e7786cc839e76.scope.
 403
 404 $ screen -ls
 405 There is a screen on:
 406         492..laptop     (Detached)
 407 1 Socket in /var/run/screen/S-fatima.
 408 </programlisting>
 409
 410       <para>This starts the <command>screen</command> process as a child of the
 411       <command>systemd --user</command> process that was started by
 412       <filename>user@.service</filename>, in a scope unit. A
 413       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.scope</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 414       unit is used instead of a
 415       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 416       unit, because <command>screen</command> will exit when detaching from the terminal,
 417       and a service unit would be terminated. Running <command>screen</command>
 418       as a user unit has the advantage that it is not part of the session scope.
 419       If <varname>KillUserProcesses=yes</varname> is configured in
 420       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>logind.conf</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 421       the default, the session scope will be terminated when the user logs
 422       out of that session.</para>
 423
 424       <para>The <filename>user@.service</filename> is started automatically
 425       when the user first logs in, and stays around as long as at least one
 426       login session is open. After the user logs out of the last session,
 427       <filename>user@.service</filename> and all services underneath it
 428       are terminated. This behavior is the default, when "lingering" is
 429       not enabled for that user. Enabling lingering means that
 430       <filename>user@.service</filename> is started automatically during
 431       boot, even if the user is not logged in, and that the service is
 432       not terminated when the user logs out.</para>
 433
 434       <para>Enabling lingering allows the user to run processes without being logged in,
 435       for example to allow <command>screen</command> to persist after the user logs out,
 436       even if the session scope is terminated. In the default configuration, users can
 437       enable lingering for themselves:</para>
 438
 439       <programlisting>$ loginctl enable-linger</programlisting>
 440     </example>
 441   </refsect1>
 442
 443   <refsect1>
 444     <title>See Also</title>
 445     <para>
 446       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 447       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemctl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 448       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 449       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 450       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.scope</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 451       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.slice</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 452       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 453       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.resource-control</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 454       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.timer</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 455       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd-mount</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
 456       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>machinectl</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>
 457     </para>
 458   </refsect1>
 459
 460 </refentry>