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

# NAME

`service` —
run or list system services

# SYNOPSIS

`service` | [`-elv`]

`service` | [`-ev`] rc_script_name1 [rc_script_name2 [...]]

`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` 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.
`-v`
  Report what `rc_directories` are defined or in which directory the `rc.d script` was found when an action is invoked.

# ENVIRONMENT

When used to invoke `rc.d scripts, the` `service` command sets `umask` 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, status, or any other argument supported by the rc_script_name.

# EXIT STATUS

The `service` utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an 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.

    $ 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 20, 2015 | NetBSD 9.4