Create and Manage Linux System Services with Systemd

If you’re working with Linux, understanding how to create and manage services is crucial. Whether you’re setting up a custom application or managing existing ones, systemd is the tool you’ll rely on. In this quick guide, we’ll walk you through creating a .service file and managing it with simple, easy-to-understand commands.

What is a .service File in Linux?

A .service file is a configuration file used by systemd, the system and service manager in most modern Linux distributions. It tells the system how and when to start, stop, and manage a service.

Creating a .service File

1. Navigate to the Systemd Directory

First, open your terminal and navigate to the directory where system-wide service files are stored:

cd /etc/systemd/system

2. Create Your Service File

Next, you’ll create a new .service file. For example, let’s call it myapp.service:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/myhackinfo.service

3. Define Your Service

basic template for define service

[Unit]
Description=myhackinfo.service
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/home/user/runservice
Restart=always
User=user
Group=user

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Once you’ve added the necessary configuration, save the file and exit the editor.

Enabling and Starting Your Service

// Reload Systemd Before systemd can recognize your new service, you need to reload its configuration

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

//Enable the Service

sudo systemctl enable myhackinfo.service

//Start the Service

sudo systemctl start myhackinfo.service

// Checking the Status of Your Service

sudo systemctl status myhackinfo.service