systemdrun

Systemdrun is an open-source system and service manager designed to orchestrate the lifecycle of background processes on Unix-like systems. It aims to provide a lightweight alternative to traditional init systems by combining startup orchestration with ongoing supervision of services.

Core concepts include unit files that declare services, timers, and targets; a directed dependency graph that controls boot order and parallelization; and process supervisors that restart failed services according to defined policies. The configuration format is designed to be simple and portable, commonly expressed in TOML or JSON. Systemdrun includes a central daemon that reads unit definitions at startup and then manages services, handles signaling, and aggregates logs through a pluggable backend.

In operation, systemdrun can enable and start services, stop them with proper teardown, and monitor health to trigger restarts or fallbacks. It supports common features such as automatic restarts, on-failure actions, and resource-limiting controls via cgroups or similar mechanisms when available. The project emphasizes portability, with initial targets including Linux and other Unix-like systems, and a goal of minimal dependencies.

History and reception: Systemdrun originated as an open-source project to explore lightweight service supervision. It has seen limited adoption in niche environments and is often discussed in the context of alternative init systems. Proponents cite its simplicity and modular design, while critics note compatibility challenges and the maturity of broader ecosystems.