name: linux-services description: Systemd service management and log access
Linux Services Skill
Manage systemd services and access logs safely.
See also: Shared Conventions | Safety Guidelines
Purpose
Check service status, view logs, and restart services when needed.
Commands
Service Status
systemctl status <service>
systemctl is-active <service>
systemctl is-enabled <service>
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running
Service Control
systemctl start <service>
systemctl stop <service>
systemctl restart <service>
systemctl reload <service>
Log Access
journalctl -u <service> --no-pager -n 200
journalctl -u <service> --since "1 hour ago" --no-pager
journalctl -u <service> -f # follow
Service Restart Protocol
Before restarting any service:
-
Capture current status
systemctl status myapp -
Capture recent logs
journalctl -u myapp --no-pager -n 50 -
Present findings to user
-
Restart (only after acknowledgment)
systemctl restart myapp -
Verify service started
systemctl status myapp
Workflow: Diagnose Service Issues
# 1. Check if service is running
systemctl is-active myapp
# 2. Get detailed status
systemctl status myapp
# 3. Check recent logs for errors
journalctl -u myapp --no-pager -n 100 | grep -i error
# 4. Check when it last started
systemctl show myapp --property=ActiveEnterTimestamp
Workflow: Safe Restart
# 1. Pre-restart state
systemctl status myapp
journalctl -u myapp --no-pager -n 20
# 2. Restart
systemctl restart myapp
# 3. Verify
sleep 2
systemctl status myapp
journalctl -u myapp --since "1 minute ago" --no-pager
Policies
- Capture state before restart - always log pre-restart status
- Verify after restart - confirm service is healthy
- No blind restarts - understand why restart is needed
- Critical services - extra caution with database, auth, networking services
- Report any failed restarts with full log output