Linux systemd Units and Timers Cheat Sheet

Linux systemd Units and Timers•Permalink

Work with timer units, socket activation, path units, transient services, and user services.

View

Standard Detailed Compact

Export

Copy the compact sheet, download it, or print it.

Download

`D` dense toggle · `C` copy all

Timers

Schedule jobs with systemd timer units.

List timers

Show active timers and next run times.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimersschedule

bash

systemctl list-timers

Primary overview of systemd-scheduled jobs.

List all timers

Show all timers including inactive ones.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimersinventory

bash

systemctl list-timers --all

Useful for complete inventory.

Show timer status

Inspect one timer unit.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimerstatus

bash

systemctl status logrotate.timer

Shows schedule information and recent trigger history.

Enable and start timer

Activate a timer and persist it across boots.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimerenable

bash

sudo systemctl enable --now myjob.timer

Standard timer activation pattern.

Start timer now

Start a timer without enabling it.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimerstart

bash

sudo systemctl start myjob.timer

Good for testing timer unit setup.

Run the timer's service manually

Start the paired service unit directly.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltimerservice

bash

sudo systemctl start myjob.service

Useful for validating the service command without waiting for the timer.

Other Unit Types

Work with sockets, paths, mounts, and targets.

List socket units

Show socket-activated units.

↗#

bashANYsystemctlsocketactivation

bash

systemctl list-units --type=socket

Useful for debugging socket activation.

List path units

Show path-based activation units.

↗#

bashANYsystemctlpathunits

bash

systemctl list-units --type=path

Path units can trigger services on filesystem changes.

List mount units

Show mount units known to systemd.

↗#

bashANYsystemctlmountunits

bash

systemctl list-units --type=mount

Handy when troubleshooting mounts and dependencies.

List targets

Show active target units.

↗#

bashANYsystemctltargetsstate

bash

systemctl list-units --type=target

Targets group other units into states.

User Units and Transient Units

Work with per-user managers and one-off units.

List user units

Show units under the user service manager.

↗#

bashANYsystemctluserunits

bash

systemctl --user list-units

Useful for rootless services and desktop sessions.

Enable user service

Enable and start a per-user service.

↗#

bashANYsystemctluserenable

bash

systemctl --user enable --now syncthing.service

No sudo required for your own user manager.

Enable linger for user

Keep user services running without an active login session.

↗#

bashANYloginctllingeruser

bash

sudo loginctl enable-linger jon

Important for persistent user services on servers.

Run a transient service

Create and run a one-off transient unit.

↗#

bashANYsystemd-runtransientservice

bash

systemd-run --unit=adhoc-backup --description="Ad hoc backup" /usr/local/bin/backup.sh

Great for controlled one-off execution under systemd supervision.

Run command in transient scope

Place an existing process subtree under a systemd scope.

↗#

bashANYsystemd-runscopeinteractive

bash

systemd-run --scope rsync -av ./src/ /mnt/backup/

Useful for interactive commands you still want systemd to track.

More in Linux systemd Units and Timers

No other published sheets yet.

Recommended next

No recommendations yet.

Browse all sheets →