SERVICE(8) | System Manager's Manual | SERVICE(8)

# NAME

`service` — run or list system services

# SYNOPSIS

`service` | [`-elv`]

`service` | [`-ev`] rc_script_name [rc_script_name ...]

`service` | [`-v`] rc_script_name action

# DESCRIPTION

The `service` command is a simple interface to the services startup system.

Its purpose is to list the services or invoke actions on them as provided by the rc.d(8) scripts. When used to invoke rc.d scripts, `service` will set the same environment that is used at boot time.

The options are as follows:

`-e`
  List services that are enabled. The list of scripts is compiled using rcorder(8) the same way as is done in rc(8); each script is first checked for an `rcvar` assignment and if present, checked to see if it is enabled. If one or more rc_script_name are specified, only those are checked. The rc_script_name arguments are always specified without a path prefix.
`-l`
  List all files in /etc/rc.d (the default of `rc_directories` as defined in rc.conf(5)). A script will be listed unless it has the `nostart` keyword enabled. Scripts are listed in the order the rc.d system runs them at system boot time.
`-v`
  Report what `rc_directories` are defined or in which directory the rc.d script was found when an action is invoked.

The `-e` and `-l` options are mutually exclusive. Only one of those may be used.

# ENVIRONMENT

When used to invoke rc.d scripts, the `service` command sets umask(2) to `022`, `HOME` to /, and `PATH` to `/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin` which is how they are set in /etc/rc at boot time. The action is typically one of `start`, `restart`, or `status`, but can be any other argument supported by the rc_script_name.

# EXIT STATUS

`service` exits with status 0 when successful, status 1 when `-e` was given and no enabled script was found, or when an action is to be performed, but the rc_script_name given does not exist, or status >1 if another error occurs.

# EXAMPLES

These are typical usages of the `service` command:

    # service sshd restart
    Stopping sshd.
    Starting sshd.

    $ service -v inetd status
    inetd is located in /etc/rc.d
    inetd is running as pid 1713.

    $ if service -e inetd >/dev/null; then echo inetd is enabled; fi
    inetd is enabled

    $ if service -e foobar >/dev/null; then echo foobar is enabled; fi

    $ service -ve ccd motd hostapd my_pkg
    rc_directories is /etc/rc.d /usr/pkg/etc/rc.d
    /etc/rc.d/ccd
    /usr/pkg/etc/rc.d/my_pkg
    /etc/rc.d/motd

In the last example, hostapd(8) was apparently left disabled and the additional directory /usr/pkg/etc/rc.d was configured by redefining the variable `rc_directories` in rc.conf; further, `my_pkg=yes` must have also been set.

# SEE ALSO

rc.conf(5), rc(8), rcorder(8)

# HISTORY

The `service` utility first appeared in NetBSD 7.0.

# AUTHORS

Written for FreeBSD by Douglas Barton <dougb@FreeBSD.org>.

Adapted and extended to NetBSD by Adrian Steinmann <ast@marabu.ch>.

March 12, 2023 | NetBSD 11.0