Linux 101 : Systemd, Systemctl, Unit and Unit files
Systemd initializes the Linux system - processes, mount,.. -, after the boot process has finished.
It also the first process that starts with a PID=1.
The systemd units control services, mounts, swap spaces, sockets, ...
A unit file is a file that contains different parameters and data about the units - services, devices, mount points, ... -
To list all the unit-files, we use the below command:
The services could also have the below states:
Disabled services will not start at boot time, and we would have to start them manually is need be.
Unit files stored in the "/usr/lib/systemd/system" directory, have the below format:
Systemd manages the system as units and unit files.
The systemd units control services, mounts, swap spaces, sockets, ...
A unit file is a file that contains different parameters and data about the units - services, devices, mount points, ... -
Systemd also handles the targets - equivalent to runlevels -, which are a combination of units "working together" to produce a certain environment, for example the "multi-user.target" environment ,or the "graphical.target" environment.
To know the default target that our system is running, we could use the below command:
To switch to a different target, for example the "multi-user.target", we use the below command:
To list all the unit-files for the services, we use the below command:
To list all the services, we use:
To list the "running" services, we use the below command:
The type could also be : socket, mount, swap, target, ...
The services could also have the below states:
- enabled : enabled services start automatically.
- disabled : are not taken into account during boot time.
- static : can't be enabled or disabled
- masked : masked services can't be started.
directories.
Disabled services will not start at boot time, and we would have to start them manually is need be.
We can disable a service using the below command:
Masked services can't be started. We could mask a service using he below command:
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