Startup and init systems (systemd) in Linux CLI - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Basic systemd Service Setup and Management

📖 Scenario: You are managing a Linux server and want to create a simple service that runs a custom script at startup using systemd. This will help you automate tasks when the system boots.

🎯 Goal: Create a basic systemd service file to run a script at startup, enable the service, and check its status.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a script file with a simple echo command

Create a systemd service file with correct sections and directives

Enable the service to start at boot

Start the service manually

Check the service status

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Automating tasks on Linux servers or desktops to run scripts or programs at system startup.

💼 Career

System administrators and DevOps engineers often create and manage systemd services to control software and scripts on Linux systems.

1

Create the startup script

Create a file called /usr/local/bin/startup_script.sh with the content #!/bin/bash on the first line and echo "Startup script running" on the second line. Make sure the script is executable by running chmod +x /usr/local/bin/startup_script.sh.

Linux CLI

# Create the script file with the exact content and make it executable
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use a text editor like nano or vim to create the file, then run chmod +x /usr/local/bin/startup_script.sh to make it executable.

2

Create the systemd service file

Create a file called /etc/systemd/system/startup_script.service with the following content: under the [Unit] section, add Description=Startup Script Service; under the [Service] section, add ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/startup_script.sh; under the [Install] section, add WantedBy=multi-user.target.

Linux CLI

# Create the systemd service file with the exact sections and directives
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use a text editor to create the service file with the exact sections and lines as described.

3

Enable and start the service

Run the commands systemctl enable startup_script.service to enable the service at boot and systemctl start startup_script.service to start the service immediately.

Linux CLI

# Enable the service to start at boot
# Start the service now
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use systemctl enable to set the service to run at boot and systemctl start to run it now.

4

Check the service status

Run the command systemctl status startup_script.service and observe the output. The output should include the line Active: active (running) indicating the service is running.

Linux CLI

# Run the command to check the service status
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use systemctl status startup_script.service to see if the service is running.