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Asked: 2024-09-24T19:47:56+05:30 In: ,

How can I manage the startup behavior of services in Ubuntu, specifically how to turn them on or off?

Hey everyone, I’ve been diving into managing services in Ubuntu lately and I could really use some help. I’m sure some of you have figured out how to manage the startup behavior of services, but I’m still a bit lost. I know there’s a way to enable or disable services from starting up automatically when the system boots, but I can’t seem to get it right.

For context, I’m running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, and I’ve been trying to streamline my startup processes since having too many services running at boot seems to slow everything down. I’ve heard about using some command-line tools like `systemctl`, but every time I try to execute commands, I feel like I might be missing something vital.

So, can anyone walk me through the basics? Like, what’s the command to check which services are currently running? And once I have that list, how do I go about toggling them on or off? It would be great if you could include some examples, especially for common services that many people might have, such as `apache2` or `docker`.

I also wonder if there’s a way to persist these changes, you know? Let’s say I disable something today, will I have to do it again after a system update or reboot? That would be super annoying.

One more thing—I’ve come across some tutorials that mention using `chkconfig`, but I’m not sure if that’s relevant for Ubuntu since I think it’s more associated with Red Hat or CentOS. Should I just ignore that or is there a way to incorporate it into my workflow?

Honestly, I’m looking for a bit of a handhold here, since I don’t want to mess anything up and end up with a service I really need being turned off inadvertently. Any tips, commands, or insights would really be appreciated! Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

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    2 Answers

    1. Managing services in Ubuntu using `systemctl` is quite straightforward once you get the hang of it. To check which services are currently running, you can execute the command systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running. This will provide you with a list of active services. To manage the startup behavior of these services, you can use the enable and disable commands. For example, if you want to disable the Apache web server from starting on boot, you would run sudo systemctl disable apache2. Conversely, if you wish to enable it again, just replace disable with enable. You can also start and stop services at any time using sudo systemctl start apache2 or sudo systemctl stop apache2, which doesn’t impact their startup setting.

      Changes made using `systemctl` will persist across reboots, so if you disable a service like Docker or Apache today, it will remain disabled even after a system update or reboot. As for chkconfig, it is indeed more commonly used with Red Hat-based systems, and you won’t need it for Ubuntu as `systemctl` is the standard for managing services starting with systemd. Just stick with `systemctl` for managing your services; it will give you the control you need while ensuring that services remain consistently configured after reboots. If you’re unsure, always check the status of your services with systemctl status to verify that everything is running as expected.



    2. Managing Ubuntu Services

      Managing Services in Ubuntu

      If you’re looking to manage the startup behavior of services in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, you’re on the right track with systemctl. Here’s a quick guide to help you get started!

      Check Current Services

      First, to see which services are currently running, you can use this command:

      systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running

      Enabling and Disabling Services

      Once you have the list, you can enable or disable services from running at startup. Here’s how:

      Disable a Service

      If you want to disable a service like apache2, use:

      sudo systemctl disable apache2

      This command prevents apache2 from starting up at boot.

      Enable a Service

      If you decide you want apache2 to start automatically in the future, you can enable it again with:

      sudo systemctl enable apache2

      Check the Status of a Service

      To check if a service is running, you can use:

      systemctl status apache2

      Persistence of Changes

      Don’t worry! Changes you make with systemctl are persistent. If you disable a service today, it will stay disabled even after rebooting or updating your system.

      What about chkconfig?

      chkconfig is not really used in Ubuntu as it’s more for Red Hat-based systems. Stick with systemctl for managing services on Ubuntu. It’s simpler and built into your system.

      Final Tips

      Remember, if you’re unsure, you can always check the status of a service before making changes. And if you mess up, don’t panic! You can always re-enable services. As you get more comfortable with these commands, managing your services will become second nature. Good luck!


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