Introducing SystemD Pilot, GUI app for managing systemd services (github.com)
from mfat@lemmy.ml to linux@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 09:13
https://lemmy.ml/post/23671806

SystemD Pilot is a desktop application for managing systemd services on GNU/linux machines. The app is very lightweight and supports common tasks such as starting and stopping systemd services.

It can also show detailed status for each service.

Features: List services

Filter by running state

Start, Stop, Restart, Enable and Disable services + show status for each service

Create override configuration for any unit file using the edit button

Option for reloading systemd manager configuration (systemctl daemon-reload)

Easy search. Just start typing and the app will find relevant services

Lightweight

Available for download as deb, rpm and AppImage

Integration into GNOME desktop (libadwaita)

Made with love for the FOSS community. Please give it a try and share your thoughts.

#linux

threaded - newest

Eideen@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 09:19 next collapse

Nice i will try it out.

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 09:25 collapse

Thanks :) Hope you find it useful

MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz on 17 Dec 09:40 next collapse

Oooh this will be perfect for a bunch of stuff I do.

Can you create new services or do you still need to create the .service file manually?

What about .timer files?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 09:49 collapse

I’ve been thinking about a “create new service” feature but I’m not sure about two things: 1.how useful it can be 2.how to implement this to actually make life easier for end users

Adding a generic template would not be difficult.

MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz on 17 Dec 10:32 next collapse

I would absolutely use it. In fact creating and editing services would be the primary selling point IMO. It doesn’t need to be much “easier” than doing it in the terminal or file explorer, to me the primary benefit would just be the ease of use of creating, loading, and starting a new service all in one place.

I think a generic template would be great.

You could turn the whole thing into a giant GUI settings screen, allowing navigation to an exectuable, after which you could provide some of the most typical options as sliders, number fields, switches, or whatever is suitable. But that would be a large amount of work, and I’m not sure it would simplify things much.

The starting point should just be a text field, but with a link to the service file docs for help/reference.

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 10:59 collapse

Brilliant thanks for your feedback and thoughts. Will look into this.

Blisterexe@lemmy.zip on 17 Dec 13:50 collapse

As far as i can tell a full gui for systemd service files would be practically impossible. But a template ui would be sick, maybe something like an app autostart template could look like this:

Program: 

Launch options:

When: early/normal/login/graphical-start

Restart: never/once/always

Just spitballing here though.

oldfart@lemm.ee on 17 Dec 18:13 collapse

And the RestartSomethingInterval=0 option so systemd keeps restarting the program like an obedient machine it should be, not give up because it’s tired

OADINC@feddit.nl on 17 Dec 10:50 next collapse

Even if the new service is “just” a text field for code + the name of the service. If it saves it in the right location for you its useful. Not having to fiddle with that stuff as an end user is nice.

TunaLobster@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 12:14 next collapse

Just having something that shows the field options and formats it correctly would be fantastic. Tooltips and all that could be added later to lower the bar of entry for new users.

Samsy@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 13:54 collapse

Making life easier for end users means more documentation about what you are doing. I mean that’s the main difference between Commandline and a GUI.

Oh look Avahi Service, let’s stop it, what does it mean to stop it.

Creating a new Service, sure but what is needed, are there examples? Formfill lines with a hint what’s needed, maybe some dropdown entries?

You got what I mean.

codenul@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 10:47 next collapse

Thanks for this! Works pretty well when testing -

mike_wooskey@lemmy.thewooskeys.com on 17 Dec 10:48 next collapse

What license are you offering it under?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 10:57 collapse

GPL v3.

Allero@lemmy.today on 17 Dec 13:23 next collapse

The only right choice! Thanks!

mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 18 Dec 03:32 collapse

Btw add license to the repo and license info to readme

mfat@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 07:11 collapse

Thanks, will do.

LifeLemons@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 10:53 next collapse

Really cool bro. Always loved GUI for command line utils!

WellTheresYourCobbler@hexbear.net on 17 Dec 10:54 next collapse

This is impressive I love to see another addition to the Libadwaita family

Railison@aussie.zone on 17 Dec 12:13 next collapse

Fantastic, Linux needs tools like this for users who need to make occasional changes and inspect systemd.

For inspiration, I would suggest you also look at LaunchControl, which is a GUI tool to administer launchd on macOS.

BCsven@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 15:32 collapse

There are some. COCKPIT would probably suit most people. OpenSUSE has a GUI Services tool built into YAST

asudox@discuss.tchncs.de on 17 Dec 12:23 next collapse

Awesome, thank you alot.

grym@hexbear.net on 17 Dec 12:43 next collapse

Looks rad

swab148@lemm.ee on 17 Dec 13:06 next collapse

Any chance this lands in the AUR?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 14:40 collapse

I’ve not used arch for years but I’ll look into this.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 17 Dec 13:09 next collapse

Some other projects for the same usage:

github.com/KDE/systemdgenie

github.com/GuillaumeGomez/systemd-manager

😇

Allero@lemmy.today on 17 Dec 13:23 next collapse

Nice, thanks! So weird these tools are not commonly used - managing systemd remains one of the common terminal PITAs for everyone who doesn’t appreciate the Great Holy Terminal

Petter1@lemm.ee on 17 Dec 13:38 collapse

Funny thing is, that there are many things I prefer the terminal for, but systemd deamons are not these things 😂

mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 17 Dec 13:47 collapse

Yeah i hate managing systemd stuff because its messy on terminal

caseyweederman@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 15:11 collapse

Aren’t those defunct? I was looking for examples of exactly this a while back and none of them were being actively maintained.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 18 Dec 05:54 collapse

I use Systemd-Manager since a long time now and it worked always well. But it could well be, that it is unmaintained…

fossilesque@mander.xyz on 17 Dec 13:16 next collapse

Finally!

banghida@lemm.ee on 17 Dec 13:42 next collapse

Awesome, Flatpak?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 14:40 collapse

Yes flatpak will be realesed too.

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 14:22 next collapse

I’d prefer to manage systemd profiles in the rearview.

BCsven@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 15:29 next collapse

Cool. I have been using the built in YAST2 GUI services on OpenSUSE. But for other machines COCKPIT webgui uses systems to view and manage services.

MonkCanatella@sh.itjust.works on 17 Dec 15:42 next collapse

man wtf. I’ve been searching for something like this.

aw fuck, I thought this was a web interface like cockpit. ok nvm :(

mfat@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 01:20 collapse

What’s wrong with cockpit?

No1@aussie.zone on 17 Dec 16:11 next collapse

NO! NO, I WON’T HAVE IT!

I will not give up my command line, obscure, non-obvious commands that control my machine!

It is an abomination that I don’t have to search for, and then wade through hundreds of AI generated pages of useless information just to show me what services are running with systemd!

I am seriously considering starting my own startup system. I am thinking I could initiate (init) runlevels to start subsystems at various stages. If anyone is interested, hit me up.

SitD@lemy.lol on 17 Dec 17:17 next collapse

this dude boots 😎

drwho@beehaw.org on 17 Dec 17:41 next collapse

I can’t tell if you’re taking the piss or not about re-implementing initscripts.

No1@aussie.zone on 17 Dec 23:20 collapse

My job here is done 😉

digdilem@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 19:52 next collapse

wade through hundreds of AI generated pages of useless information

I personally find the best use of AI is to read those pages of useless information and summarise what I actually want to know.

Google: " hugo, show total number of posts not including pages " = advertising, a billion pages of partially but not entirely relevant information that takes ages to wade through.

Gemini: same question: Clear explanation and working examples in seconds.

They’re both google, but one knows what I’m actually trying to say and doesn’t (yet) push advertising at me.

ikidd@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 22:42 collapse

Maybe you can script everything, with convoluted interconnections that are impossible to troubleshoot. Now that would be the way to control all the systems behind impenetrable obfuscation and keep those dratted normies from understanding anything.

avidamoeba@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 16:16 next collapse

100% Python, nice.

umbrella@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 18:01 next collapse

this sort of thing is exactly what we need, thanks.

slampisko@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 18:12 next collapse

I am running a headless server, but still want to make managing my systemd services easier. Any recommendations? I think I’m looking for something that is to systemd what htop is to top🤔

EDIT: Thanks for all the recs!

mfat@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 19:31 next collapse
KarmaPolice@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 19:48 next collapse

I know you asked for cli apps, and maybe you have already heard of it, but in case you haven’t, cockpit is a pretty nice web UI for managing your server (not just systemd services, but everything)

LiveLM@lemmy.zip on 17 Dec 22:02 collapse

Funnily enough, just saw people on Lemmy talking about this one the other day

hperrin@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 20:40 next collapse

This is good. We need more GUI tools to keep the noobs out of the terminal. Not only because that gives a better impression, but it also protects them from doing a command wrong and really hurting something.

Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works on 17 Dec 21:05 next collapse

Didn’t know Pedro pascal was a coder

zaidka@lemmy.ca on 17 Dec 21:50 next collapse

Does it support per-user systemd services?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 01:08 collapse

It will, in the next release.

ikidd@lemmy.world on 17 Dec 22:40 next collapse

I remember there being a KCM for Plasma Settings that did this sort of thing.

mfat@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 01:08 collapse

Yes i think it’s called systemdGenie

KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml on 17 Dec 22:58 next collapse

I miss the days before SystemD, it seemed simpler.

Hawke@lemmy.world on 18 Dec 00:01 collapse

Autoexec.bat or bust!

Jumuta@sh.itjust.works on 18 Dec 01:20 next collapse

can it do mask/unmask?

mfat@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 01:22 collapse

Notvin this version. I’ll add that and more for the next release.

Jumuta@sh.itjust.works on 18 Dec 07:38 collapse

cool!

balsoft@lemmy.ml on 18 Dec 10:55 collapse

Looks neat, does its job.

If you’re a power-user looking at this, you can also look at github.com/rgwood/systemctl-tui which is somewhat similar but seems to be more useful (for now), also showing the service logs and being easily navigable with a keyboard.