SYSTEMD-RUN(1) systemd-run SYSTEMD-RUN(1)
NAME
systemd-run - Run programs in transient scope units, service units, or
path-, socket-, or timer-triggered service units
SYNOPSIS
systemd-run [OPTIONS...] COMMAND [ARGS...]
systemd-run [OPTIONS...] [PATH OPTIONS...] {COMMAND} [ARGS...]
systemd-run [OPTIONS...] [SOCKET OPTIONS...] {COMMAND} [ARGS...]
systemd-run [OPTIONS...] [TIMER OPTIONS...] {COMMAND} [ARGS...]
DESCRIPTION
systemd-run may be used to create and start a transient .service or
.scope unit and run the specified COMMAND in it. It may also be used to
create and start a transient .path, .socket, or .timer unit, that
activates a .service unit when elapsing.
If a command is run as transient service unit, it will be started and
managed by the service manager like any other service, and thus shows up
in the output of systemctl list-units like any other unit. It will run
in a clean and detached execution environment, with the service manager
as its parent process. In this mode, systemd-run will start the service
asynchronously in the background and return after the command has begun
execution (unless --no-block, --wait, --pipe, or --pty are specified,
see below).
If a command is run as transient scope unit, it will be executed by
systemd-run itself as parent process and will thus inherit the execution
environment of the caller. However, the processes of the command are
managed by the service manager similarly to normal services, and will
show up in the output of systemctl list-units. Execution in this case is
synchronous, and will return only when the command finishes. This mode
is enabled via the --scope switch (see below).
If a command is run with path, socket, or timer options such as
--on-calendar= (see below), a transient path, socket, or timer unit is
created alongside the service unit for the specified command. Only the
transient path, socket, or timer unit is started immediately, the
transient service unit will be triggered by the path, socket, or timer
unit. If the --unit= option is specified, the COMMAND may be omitted. In
this case, systemd-run creates only a .path, .socket, or .timer unit
that triggers the specified unit.
By default, services created with systemd-run default to the simple
type, see the description of Type= in systemd.service(5) for details.
Note that when this type is used, the service manager (and thus the
systemd-run command) considers service start-up successful as soon as
the fork() for the main service process succeeded, i.e. before the
execve() is invoked, and thus even if the specified command cannot be
started. Consider using the exec service type (i.e.
--property=Type=exec) to ensure that systemd-run returns successfully
only if the specified command line has been successfully started.
After systemd-run passes the command to the service manager, the manager
performs variable expansion. This means that dollar characters ("$")
which should not be expanded need to be escaped as "$$". Expansion can
also be disabled using --expand-environment=no.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood:
--scope
Create a transient .scope unit instead of the default transient
.service unit (see above).
Added in version 206.
--unit=, -u
Use this unit name instead of an automatically generated one.
Added in version 206.
--property=, -p
Sets a property on the scope or service unit that is created. This
option takes an assignment in the same format as systemctl(1)'s
set-property command.
Added in version 211.
--description=
Provide a description for the service, scope, path, socket, or timer
unit. If not specified, the command itself will be used as a
description. See Description= in systemd.unit(5).
Added in version 206.
--slice=
Make the new .service or .scope unit part of the specified slice,
instead of system.slice (when running in --system mode) or the root
slice (when running in --user mode).
Added in version 206.
--slice-inherit
Make the new .service or .scope unit part of the slice the
systemd-run itself has been invoked in. This option may be combined
with --slice=, in which case the slice specified via --slice= is
placed within the slice the systemd-run command is invoked in.
Example: consider systemd-run being invoked in the slice foo.slice,
and the --slice= argument is bar. The unit will then be placed under
foo-bar.slice.
Added in version 246.
--expand-environment=BOOL
Expand environment variables in command arguments. If enabled,
environment variables specified as "${VARIABLE}" will be expanded in
the same way as in commands specified via ExecStart= in units. With
--scope, this expansion is performed by systemd-run itself, and in
other cases by the service manager that spawns the command. Note
that this is similar to, but not the same as variable expansion in
bash(1) and other shells.
The default is to enable this option in all cases, except for
--scope where it is disabled by default, for backward compatibility
reasons. Note that this will be changed in a future release, where
it will be switched to enabled by default as well.
See systemd.service(5) for a description of variable expansion.
Disabling variable expansion is useful if the specified command
includes or may include a "$" sign.
Added in version 254.
-r, --remain-after-exit
After the service process has terminated, keep the service around
until it is explicitly stopped. This is useful to collect runtime
information about the service after it finished running. Also see
RemainAfterExit= in systemd.service(5).
Added in version 207.
--send-sighup
When terminating the scope or service unit, send a SIGHUP
immediately after SIGTERM. This is useful to indicate to shells and
shell-like processes that the connection has been severed. Also see
SendSIGHUP= in systemd.kill(5).
Added in version 207.
--service-type=
Sets the service type. Also see Type= in systemd.service(5). This
option has no effect in conjunction with --scope. Defaults to
simple.
Added in version 211.
--uid=, --gid=
Runs the service process under the specified UNIX user and group.
Also see User= and Group= in systemd.exec(5).
Added in version 211.
--nice=
Runs the service process with the specified nice level. Also see
Nice= in systemd.exec(5).
Added in version 211.
--working-directory=
Runs the service process with the specified working directory. Also
see WorkingDirectory= in systemd.exec(5).
Added in version 240.
--same-dir, -d
Similar to --working-directory=, but uses the current working
directory of the caller for the service to execute.
Added in version 240.
-E NAME[=VALUE], --setenv=NAME[=VALUE]
Runs the service process with the specified environment variable
set. This parameter may be used more than once to set multiple
variables. When "=" and VALUE are omitted, the value of the variable
with the same name in the program environment will be used.
Also see Environment= in systemd.exec(5).
Added in version 211.
--pty, -t
When invoking the command, the transient service connects its
standard input, output and error to the terminal systemd-run is
invoked on, via a pseudo TTY device. This allows running programs
that expect interactive user input/output as services, such as
interactive command shells.
This option will result in systemd-run synchronously waiting for the
transient service to terminate, similar to specifying --wait. If
specified along with --wait, systemd-run will not exit when manually
disconnecting from the pseudo TTY device.
Note that machinectl(1)'s shell command is usually a better
alternative for requesting a new, interactive login session on the
local host or a local container.
See below for details on how this switch combines with --pipe.
Added in version 219.
--pipe, -P
If specified, standard input, output, and error of the transient
service are inherited from the systemd-run command itself. This
allows systemd-run to be used within shell pipelines.
Note that this mode is not suitable for interactive command shells
and similar, as the service process will not become a TTY controller
when invoked on a terminal. Use --pty instead in that case.
When both --pipe and --pty are used in combination the more
appropriate option is automatically determined and used.
Specifically, when invoked with standard input, output and error
connected to a TTY --pty is used, and otherwise --pipe.
This option will result in systemd-run synchronously waiting for the
transient service to terminate, similar to specifying --wait.
When this option is used the original file descriptors systemd-run
receives are passed to the service processes as-is. If the service
runs with different privileges than systemd-run, this means the
service might not be able to reopen the passed file descriptors, due
to normal file descriptor access restrictions. If the invoked
process is a shell script that uses the echo "hello" >/dev/stderr
construct for writing messages to stderr, this might cause problems,
as this only works if stderr can be reopened. To mitigate this use
the construct echo "hello" >&2 instead, which is mostly equivalent
and avoids this pitfall.
Added in version 235.
--shell, -S
A shortcut for "--pty --same-dir --wait --collect
--service-type=exec $SHELL", i.e. requests an interactive shell in
the current working directory, running in service context,
accessible with a single switch.
Added in version 240.
--quiet, -q
Suppresses additional informational output while running. This is
particularly useful in combination with --pty when it will suppress
the initial message explaining how to terminate the TTY connection.
Added in version 219.
--on-active=, --on-boot=, --on-startup=, --on-unit-active=,
--on-unit-inactive=
Defines a monotonic timer relative to different starting points for
starting the specified command. See OnActiveSec=, OnBootSec=,
OnStartupSec=, OnUnitActiveSec= and OnUnitInactiveSec= in
systemd.timer(5) for details. These options are shortcuts for
--timer-property= with the relevant properties. These options may
not be combined with --scope or --pty.
Added in version 218.
--on-calendar=
Defines a calendar timer for starting the specified command. See
OnCalendar= in systemd.timer(5). This option is a shortcut for
--timer-property=OnCalendar=. This option may not be combined with
--scope or --pty.
Added in version 218.
--on-clock-change, --on-timezone-change
Defines a trigger based on system clock jumps or timezone changes
for starting the specified command. See OnClockChange= and
OnTimezoneChange= in systemd.timer(5). These options are shortcuts
for --timer-property=OnClockChange=yes and
--timer-property=OnTimezoneChange=yes. These options may not be
combined with --scope or --pty.
Added in version 242.
--path-property=, --socket-property=, --timer-property=
Sets a property on the path, socket, or timer unit that is created.
This option is similar to --property=, but applies to the transient
path, socket, or timer unit rather than the transient service unit
created. This option takes an assignment in the same format as
systemctl(1)'s set-property command. These options may not be
combined with --scope or --pty.
Added in version 218.
--no-block
Do not synchronously wait for the unit start operation to finish. If
this option is not specified, the start request for the transient
unit will be verified, enqueued and systemd-run will wait until the
unit's start-up is completed. By passing this argument, it is only
verified and enqueued. This option may not be combined with --wait.
Added in version 220.
--wait
Synchronously wait for the transient service to terminate. If this
option is specified, the start request for the transient unit is
verified, enqueued, and waited for. Subsequently the invoked unit is
monitored, and it is waited until it is deactivated again (most
likely because the specified command completed). On exit, terse
information about the unit's runtime is shown, including total
runtime (as well as CPU, memory, IO, and IP accounting data, if the
corresponding cgroup accounting settings are enabled) and the exit
code and status of the main process. This output may be suppressed
with --quiet. This option may not be combined with --no-block,
--scope or the various path, socket, or timer options.
Added in version 232.
-G, --collect
Unload the transient unit after it completed, even if it failed.
Normally, without this option, all units that ran and failed are
kept in memory until the user explicitly resets their failure state
with systemctl reset-failed or an equivalent command. On the other
hand, units that ran successfully are unloaded immediately. If this
option is turned on the "garbage collection" of units is more
aggressive, and unloads units regardless if they exited successfully
or failed. This option is a shortcut for
--property=CollectMode=inactive-or-failed, see the explanation for
CollectMode= in systemd.unit(5) for further information.
Added in version 236.
--ignore-failure
By default, if the specified command fails the invoked unit will be
marked failed (though possibly still unloaded, see --collect=,
above), and this is reported in the logs. If this switch is
specified this is suppressed and any non-success exit status/code of
the command is treated as success.
Added in version 256.
--background=COLOR
Change the terminal background color to the specified ANSI color as
long as the session lasts. The color specified should be an ANSI
X3.64 SGR background color, i.e. strings such as "40", "41", ...,
"47", "48;2;...", "48;5;...". See ANSI Escape Code (Wikipedia)[1]
for details.
Added in version 256.
--user
Talk to the service manager of the calling user, rather than the
service manager of the system.
--system
Talk to the service manager of the system. This is the implied
default.
-H, --host=
Execute the operation remotely. Specify a hostname, or a username
and hostname separated by "@", to connect to. The hostname may
optionally be suffixed by a port ssh is listening on, separated by
":", and then a container name, separated by "/", which connects
directly to a specific container on the specified host. This will
use SSH to talk to the remote machine manager instance. Container
names may be enumerated with machinectl -H HOST. Put IPv6 addresses
in brackets.
-M, --machine=
Execute operation on a local container. Specify a container name to
connect to, optionally prefixed by a user name to connect as and a
separating "@" character. If the special string ".host" is used in
place of the container name, a connection to the local system is
made (which is useful to connect to a specific user's user bus:
"--user --machine=lennart@.host"). If the "@" syntax is not used,
the connection is made as root user. If the "@" syntax is used
either the left hand side or the right hand side may be omitted (but
not both) in which case the local user name and ".host" are implied.
-C, --capsule=
Execute operation on a capsule. Specify a capsule name to connect
to. See capsule@.service(5) for details about capsules.
Added in version 256.
--no-ask-password
Do not query the user for authentication for privileged operations.
-h, --help
Print a short help text and exit.
--version
Print a short version string and exit.
--json=MODE
Shows output formatted as JSON. Expects one of "short" (for the
shortest possible output without any redundant whitespace or line
breaks), "pretty" (for a pretty version of the same, with
indentation and line breaks) or "off" (to turn off JSON output, the
default).
All command line arguments after the first non-option argument become
part of the command line of the launched process.
EXIT STATUS
On success, 0 is returned. If systemd-run failed to start the service, a
non-zero return value will be returned. If systemd-run waits for the
service to terminate, the return value will be propagated from the
service. 0 will be returned on success, including all the cases where
systemd considers a service to have exited cleanly, see the discussion
of SuccessExitStatus= in systemd.service(5).
EXAMPLES
Example 1. Logging environment variables provided by systemd to services
# systemd-run env
Running as unit: run-19945.service
# journalctl -u run-19945.service
Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Starting /usr/bin/env...
Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis systemd[1]: Started /usr/bin/env.
Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: LANG=en_US.UTF-8
Sep 08 07:37:21 bupkis env[19948]: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.11.0-0.rc5.git6.2.fc20.x86_64
Example 2. Limiting resources available to a command
# systemd-run -p IOWeight=10 updatedb
This command invokes the updatedb(8) tool, but lowers the block I/O
weight for it to 10. See systemd.resource-control(5) for more
information on the IOWeight= property.
Example 3. Running commands at a specified time
The following command will touch a file after 30 seconds.
# date; systemd-run --on-active=30 --timer-property=AccuracySec=100ms /bin/touch /tmp/foo
Mon Dec 8 20:44:24 KST 2014
Running as unit: run-71.timer
Will run service as unit: run-71.service
# journalctl -b -u run-71.timer
-- Journal begins at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, ends at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
Dec 08 20:44:38 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
# journalctl -b -u run-71.service
-- Journal begins at Fri 2014-12-05 19:09:21 KST, ends at Mon 2014-12-08 20:44:54 KST. --
Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Starting /bin/touch /tmp/foo...
Dec 08 20:44:48 container systemd[1]: Started /bin/touch /tmp/foo.
Example 4. Allowing access to the tty
The following command invokes bash(1) as a service passing its standard
input, output and error to the calling TTY.
# systemd-run -t --send-sighup bash
Example 5. Start screen as a user service
$ systemd-run --scope --user screen
Running scope as unit run-r14b0047ab6df45bfb45e7786cc839e76.scope.
$ screen -ls
There is a screen on:
492..laptop (Detached)
1 Socket in /var/run/screen/S-fatima.
This starts the screen process as a child of the systemd --user process
that was started by user@.service, in a scope unit. A systemd.scope(5)
unit is used instead of a systemd.service(5) unit, because screen will
exit when detaching from the terminal, and a service unit would be
terminated. Running screen as a user unit has the advantage that it is
not part of the session scope. If KillUserProcesses=yes is configured in
logind.conf(5), the default, the session scope will be terminated when
the user logs out of that session.
The user@.service is started automatically when the user first logs in,
and stays around as long as at least one login session is open. After
the user logs out of the last session, user@.service and all services
underneath it are terminated. This behavior is the default, when
"lingering" is not enabled for that user. Enabling lingering means that
user@.service is started automatically during boot, even if the user is
not logged in, and that the service is not terminated when the user logs
out.
Enabling lingering allows the user to run processes without being logged
in, for example to allow screen to persist after the user logs out, even
if the session scope is terminated. In the default configuration, users
can enable lingering for themselves:
$ loginctl enable-linger
Example 6. Variable expansion by the manager
$ systemd-run -t echo "<${INVOCATION_ID}>" '<${INVOCATION_ID}>'
<> <5d0149bfa2c34b79bccb13074001eb20>
The first argument is expanded by the shell (double quotes), but the
second one is not expanded by the shell (single quotes). echo(1) is
called with ["/usr/bin/echo", "<>", "<${INVOCATION_ID}>"] as the
argument array, and then systemd(1) generates ${INVOCATION_ID} and
substitutes it in the command-line. This substitution could not be done
on the client side, because the target ID that will be set for the
service is not known before the call is made.
Example 7. Variable expansion and output redirection using a shell
Variable expansion by systemd(1) can be disabled with
--expand-environment=no.
Disabling variable expansion can be useful if the command to execute
contains dollar characters and escaping them would be inconvenient. For
example, when a shell is used:
$ systemd-run --expand-environment=no -t bash \
-c 'echo $SHELL $$ >/dev/stdout'
/bin/bash 12345
The last argument is passed verbatim to the bash(1) shell which is
started by the service unit. The shell expands "$SHELL" to the path of
the shell, and "$$" to its process number, and then those strings are
passed to the echo built-in and printed to standard output (which, in
this case, is connected to the calling terminal).
Example 8. Return value
$ systemd-run --user --wait true
$ systemd-run --user --wait -p SuccessExitStatus=11 bash -c 'exit 11'
$ systemd-run --user --wait -p SuccessExitStatus=SIGUSR1 --expand-environment=no \
bash -c 'kill -SIGUSR1 $$'
Those three invocations will succeed, i.e. terminate with an exit code
of 0.
SEE ALSO
systemd(1), systemctl(1), systemd.unit(5), systemd.service(5),
systemd.scope(5), systemd.slice(5), systemd.exec(5), systemd.resource-
control(5), systemd.timer(5), systemd-mount(1), machinectl(1), run0(1)
NOTES
1. ANSI Escape Code (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI_escape_code#SGR_(Select_Graphic_Rendition)_parameters
systemd 257.9 SYSTEMD-RUN(1)
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