Systemd Service Helper (Plain English)

[mikejmorgan-ai]

Problem (Pain Point #22)

Systemd service management is obscure to most users.

Solution

Build a systemd helper that:

1. Explains service status in plain English
2. Creates unit files from simple descriptions
3. Diagnoses failures with actionable advice
4. Shows dependencies visually

Bounty: $50 (+ $50 bonus after funding)

---

Based on Linux Pain Points Research 2025-2026

[repairman29]

Hi! I'm interested in helping with this issue.

I have experience with index (repairman29/ai-gm-service) and think I can contribute here. Would love to discuss the approach and see if we can make this happen.

(Connected via Echeo - a platform for matching developers with open source bounties)

[jeremylongshore]

I'd like to work on this bounty.

Implementation Plan:

1. Status Explainer - Parse ● team-server
   State: degraded
   Units: 573 loaded (incl. loaded aliases)
   Jobs: 0 queued
   Failed: 4 units
   Since: Sat 2025-10-25 14:01:50 CDT; 2 months 15 days ago
   systemd: 255.4-1ubuntu8.12
   CGroup: /
   ├─init.scope
   │ └─1 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd --system --deserialize=71
   ├─system.slice
   │ ├─ModemManager.service
   │ │ └─1519776 /usr/sbin/ModemManager
   │ ├─caddy.service
   │ │ └─3794717 /usr/bin/caddy run --environ --config /etc/caddy/Caddyfile
   │ ├─containerd.service
   │ │ └─3840126 /usr/bin/containerd
   │ ├─cron.service
   │ │ └─1021 /usr/sbin/cron -f -P
   │ ├─dbus.service
   │ │ └─929 @dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only
   │ ├─docker.service
   │ │ └─3841577 /usr/bin/dockerd -H fd:// --containerd=/run/containerd/containerd.sock
   │ ├─fail2ban.service
   │ │ └─1519809 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/fail2ban-server -xf start
   │ ├─fwupd.service
   │ │ └─1546868 /usr/libexec/fwupd/fwupd
   │ ├─multipathd.service
   │ │ └─1519750 /sbin/multipathd -d -s
   │ ├─networkd-dispatcher.service
   │ │ └─936 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/networkd-dispatcher --run-startup-triggers
   │ ├─ollama.service
   │ │ └─1019 /usr/local/bin/ollama serve
   │ ├─php8.3-fpm.service
   │ │ ├─2720500 "php-fpm: master process (/etc/php/8.3/fpm/php-fpm.conf)"
   │ │ ├─2720501 "php-fpm: pool www"
   │ │ └─2720502 "php-fpm: pool www"
   │ ├─polkit.service
   │ │ └─1519747 /usr/lib/polkit-1/polkitd --no-debug
   │ ├─rsyslog.service
   │ │ └─3844073 /usr/sbin/rsyslogd -n -iNONE
   │ ├─snap.cups.cups-browsed.service
   │ │ ├─1172670 /bin/sh /snap/cups/1134/scripts/run-cups-browsed
   │ │ └─1172869 cups-browsed -c /var/snap/cups/common/etc/cups/cups-browsed.conf
   │ ├─snap.cups.cupsd.service
   │ │ ├─1172662 /bin/sh /snap/cups/1134/scripts/run-cupsd
   │ │ └─1172855 cupsd -f -s /var/snap/cups/common/etc/cups/cups-files.conf -c /var/snap/cups/common/etc/cups/cupsd.conf
   │ ├─snapd.service
   │ │ └─2268218 /snap/snapd/current/usr/lib/snapd/snapd
   │ ├─ssh.service
   │ │ ├─ 2470 "sshd: /usr/sbin/sshd -D [listener] 2 of 10-100 startups"
   │ │ ├─2764035 "sshd: unknown [priv]"
   │ │ ├─2764036 "sshd: unknown [net]"
   │ │ ├─2764043 "sshd: [accepted]"
   │ │ └─2764044 "sshd: [net]"
   │ ├─system-getty.slice
   │ │ └─getty@tty1.service
   │ │ └─1043 /sbin/agetty -o "-p -- \u" --noclear - linux
   │ ├─system-postgresql.slice
   │ │ └─postgresql@16-main.service
   │ │ ├─3839771 /usr/lib/postgresql/16/bin/postgres -D /var/lib/postgresql/16/main -c config_file=/etc/postgresql/16/main/postgresql.conf
   │ │ ├─3839772 "postgres: 16/main: checkpointer "
   │ │ ├─3839773 "postgres: 16/main: background writer "
   │ │ ├─3839775 "postgres: 16/main: walwriter "
   │ │ ├─3839776 "postgres: 16/main: autovacuum launcher "
   │ │ └─3839777 "postgres: 16/main: logical replication launcher "
   │ ├─system-serial\x2dgetty.slice
   │ │ └─serial-getty@ttyS0.service
   │ │ └─1039 /sbin/agetty -o "-p -- \u" --keep-baud 115200,57600,38400,9600 - vt220
   │ ├─systemd-journald.service
   │ │ └─3841418 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-journald
   │ ├─systemd-logind.service
   │ │ └─947 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind
   │ ├─systemd-networkd.service
   │ │ └─3841403 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-networkd
   │ ├─systemd-resolved.service
   │ │ └─3842211 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-resolved
   │ ├─systemd-timesyncd.service
   │ │ └─3842033 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-timesyncd
   │ ├─systemd-udevd.service
   │ │ └─udev
   │ │ └─3842121 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-udevd
   │ ├─udisks2.service
   │ │ └─1519739 /usr/libexec/udisks2/udisksd
   │ └─unattended-upgrades.service
   │ └─973 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/share/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrade-shutdown --wait-for-signal
   └─user.slice
   └─user-1000.slice
   ├─session-28577.scope
   │ └─472571 tmux new -s bob -d
   ├─session-87126.scope
   │ ├─2618586 "sshd: jeremy [priv]"
   │ ├─2618644 "sshd: jeremy@pts/4"
   │ ├─2618645 -zsh
   │ └─2618897 tmux attach -t hustle
   ├─session-87127.scope
   │ ├─2618991 "sshd: jeremy [priv]"
   │ ├─2619039 "sshd: jeremy@pts/10"
   │ ├─2619040 -zsh
   │ └─2619181 tmux attach -t gwi
   ├─session-87133.scope
   │ ├─2619535 "sshd: jeremy [priv]"
   │ ├─2619629 "sshd: jeremy@pts/13"
   │ ├─2619630 -zsh
   │ └─2619957 tmux attach -t bob
   ├─session-87145.scope
   │ ├─2627718 "sshd: jeremy [priv]"
   │ ├─2627777 "sshd: jeremy@notty"
   │ └─2627778 /usr/lib/openssh/sftp-server
   ├─session-87159.scope
   │ ├─2632824 "sshd: jeremy [priv]"
   │ ├─2632939 "sshd: jeremy@pts/14"
   │ ├─2632940 -zsh
   │ └─2633398 tmux attach -t gumroad
   └─user@1000.service
   ├─app.slice
   │ ├─gpg-agent.service
   │ │ └─2240657 /usr/bin/gpg-agent --supervised
   │ └─snap.go.go-50f094bf-c67a-4d03-99dd-29ed9880632d.scope
   │ ├─3157912 /snap/go/11017/bin/go run ./cmd/gvid
   │ └─3157976 /home/jeremy/.cache/go-build/2c/2c63656ceff2c850f3cb7b7071fece7f4313b78163f492e9cd9bf9d9fa1c51c1-d/gvid
   ├─init.scope
   │ ├─3702452 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd --user --deserialize=24
   │ └─3702453 "(sd-pam)"
   ├─session.slice
   │ └─dbus.service
   │ └─2100080 /usr/bin/dbus-daemon --session --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile --systemd-activation --syslog-only
   ├─tmux-spawn-23b91fc9-5736-4b72-972e-a9d965b6aa25.scope
   │ ├─ 401626 -zsh
   │ └─2596413 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-2679f849-0cc7-4095-aac4-639b6af0c71a.scope
   │ ├─3050149 -zsh
   │ ├─3118744 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ ├─3150925 make dev
   │ ├─3150931 make -j2 daemon web
   │ ├─3150933 /bin/sh -c "cd web && npm run dev"
   │ ├─3150934 "npm run dev"
   │ ├─3151013 sh -c vite
   │ ├─3151015 node /home/jeremy/000-projects/gastown-viewer-intent/web/node_modules/.bin/vite
   │ ├─3151062 /home/jeremy/000-projects/gastown-viewer-intent/web/node_modules/@esbuild/linux-x64/bin/esbuild --service=0.27.2 --ping
   │ ├─3160318 make dev
   │ ├─3160324 make -j2 daemon web
   │ ├─3160326 /bin/sh -c "cd web && npm run dev"
   │ ├─3160327 "npm run dev"
   │ ├─3160373 sh -c vite
   │ ├─3160374 node /home/jeremy/000-projects/gastown-viewer-intent/web/node_modules/.bin/vite
   │ └─3160413 /home/jeremy/000-projects/gastown-viewer-intent/web/node_modules/@esbuild/linux-x64/bin/esbuild --service=0.27.2 --ping
   ├─tmux-spawn-26b994d3-065c-4ea4-b2a6-ffc08a8d7604.scope
   │ ├─2132247 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ ├─2762574 /usr/bin/zsh -c -l "source /home/jeremy/.claude/shell-snapshots/snapshot-zsh-1767924390794-4ne48w.sh && setopt NO_EXTENDED_GLOB 2>/dev/null || true && eval "sleep 600 && gh run view 20880354774 --json status,conclusion,jobs --jq '{status,conclusion,jobs: [.jobs[] | {name, status, conclusion}]}'" \< /dev/null && pwd -P >| /tmp/claude-d004-cwd"
   │ ├─2762575 sleep 600
   │ └─3161642 -zsh
   ├─tmux-spawn-33b741dc-d41e-4620-b8eb-06e5548f0b69.scope
   │ ├─ 299020 -zsh
   │ └─1725673 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-37e5ef88-992e-4782-87fe-aad1dfec2cae.scope
   │ ├─ 898184 -zsh
   │ └─2193343 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-3b69d07e-1db6-44be-a834-6a704a6873cd.scope
   │ ├─2008304 -zsh
   │ ├─2635358 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ ├─2764046 /usr/bin/zsh -c -l "source /home/jeremy/.claude/shell-snapshots/snapshot-zsh-1768029076165-er7qcp.sh && setopt NO_EXTENDED_GLOB 2>/dev/null || true && eval 'gh issue comment 448 --repo cortexlinux/cortex --body "I'"'"'d like to work on this bounty. \n\nImplementation Plan:\n\n1. Status Explainer - Parse `systemctl status` output and translate to plain English (e.g., \"Service is running normally\" or \"Service crashed 5 minutes ago due to: exit code 1\")\n\n2. Unit File Generator - Interactive CLI that asks simple questions and generates proper systemd unit files:\n - What command to run?\n - Run on boot? \n - Restart on failure?\n - Run as which user?\n\n3. Failure Diagnostics - Analyze journalctl logs and provide actionable advice:\n - Common error patterns → specific fixes\n - Permission issues → suggest fixes\n - Missing dependencies → identify them\n\n4. Dependency Visualizer - Use `systemctl list-dependencies` and render as ASCII tree or simple graph\n\nWill deliver as a Python CLI tool with tests and docs."' < /dev/null && pwd -P >| /tmp/claude-18b6-cwd"
   │ └─2764047 systemctl status
   ├─tmux-spawn-4211cef8-4d23-41a6-92cd-b478a4de096b.scope
   │ ├─ 292199 -zsh
   │ └─2595692 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-48a58b40-ae67-4ef2-8604-1c16d605ff59.scope
   │ ├─2187186 -zsh
   │ └─2241751 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-4f93eaee-64e6-458a-a80e-341808ab084d.scope
   │ ├─247996 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ ├─826783 /usr/bin/zsh -c -l "source /home/jeremy/.claude/shell-snapshots/snapshot-zsh-1767544571529-8h6yn5.sh && { shopt -u extglob || setopt NO_EXTENDED_GLOB; } 2>/dev/null || true && eval 'rm /home/jeremy/000-projects/resume/firebase-generator/services/worker/test-formatting.ts && git status' \< /dev/null && pwd -P >| /tmp/claude-beef-cwd"
   │ ├─826785 rm -i /home/jeremy/000-projects/resume/firebase-generator/services/worker/test-formatting.ts
   │ └─885006 -zsh
   ├─tmux-spawn-519d77c4-69f5-4419-98a0-702919bdfa82.scope
   │ ├─ 891870 -zsh
   │ └─2473629 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-749617af-1edc-428e-9cf5-de3cf445a727.scope
   │ ├─2100079 -zsh
   │ └─2326222 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   ├─tmux-spawn-85e3a601-7ba5-4480-bc0a-bde883f14579.scope
   │ ├─1805999 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ └─1852485 -zsh
   ├─tmux-spawn-a40ec925-4218-4725-957f-314da2cc1ba9.scope
   │ ├─1545103 -zsh
   │ ├─2642633 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ └─2643501 /home/jeremy/.local/bin/bd daemon --start --interval 5s --auto-commit --auto-push --auto-pull
   ├─tmux-spawn-ecd8089c-4ae5-4998-b496-c72d7e9806d9.scope
   │ ├─1262253 -zsh
   │ ├─2532517 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
   │ ├─2549763 /usr/bin/zsh -c -l "source /home/jeremy/.claude/shell-snapshots/snapshot-zsh-1768008323407-0ut7e1.sh && setopt NO_EXTENDED_GLOB 2>/dev/null || true && eval 'echo "Fixing repo ID mismatch after upgrade..." && bd migrate --update-repo-id && echo "" && echo "Ready tasks:" && bd ready' \< /dev/null && pwd -P >| /tmp/claude-5af1-cwd"
   │ ├─2549764 bd migrate --update-repo-id
   │ └─2550846 /home/jeremy/.local/bin/bd daemon --start --interval 5s --auto-commit --auto-push --auto-pull
   ├─tmux-spawn-ee70158c-4c49-470c-b7f7-6b9c5ce0688e.scope
   │ ├─3200961 -zsh
   │ └─3686804 python -m services.api.main --port 8082
   └─tmux-spawn-f5cdf91c-1231-4d4f-9ce4-588e38a23a6c.scope
   ├─ 889213 -zsh
   └─1807522 claude --dangerously-skip-permissions output and translate to plain English (e.g., "Service is running normally" or "Service crashed 5 minutes ago due to: exit code 1")

2. Unit File Generator - Interactive CLI that asks simple questions and generates proper systemd unit files:

   • What command to run?
   • Run on boot?
   • Restart on failure?
   • Run as which user?

3. Failure Diagnostics - Analyze journalctl logs and provide actionable advice:

   • Common error patterns → specific fixes
   • Permission issues → suggest fixes
   • Missing dependencies → identify them

4. Dependency Visualizer - Use default.target
   ○ ├─display-manager.service
   ● ├─ollama.service
   ○ ├─systemd-update-utmp-runlevel.service
   ● ├─udisks2.service
   ● └─multi-user.target
   ● ├─apport.service
   ● ├─caddy.service
   ● ├─console-setup.service
   ● ├─containerd.service
   ● ├─cron.service
   ● ├─dbus.service
   ○ ├─dmesg.service
   ● ├─docker.service
   ○ ├─e2scrub_reap.service
   ● ├─fail2ban.service
   ○ ├─grub-common.service
   ○ ├─grub-initrd-fallback.service
   ● ├─lxd-installer.socket
   ○ ├─mariadb.service
   ● ├─ModemManager.service
   ● ├─networkd-dispatcher.service
   ○ ├─open-vm-tools.service
   ● ├─php8.3-fpm.service
   ● ├─plymouth-quit-wait.service
   ● ├─plymouth-quit.service
   ○ ├─pollinate.service
   ○ ├─postfix.service
   ● ├─postgresql.service
   ○ ├─redis-server.service
   ● ├─rsyslog.service
   ○ ├─secureboot-db.service
   ● ├─snap-bare-5.mount
   ● ├─snap-chromium-3335.mount
   ● ├─snap-chromium-3338.mount
   ● ├─snap-core22-2163.mount
   ● ├─snap-core22-2193.mount
   ● ├─snap-core24-1237.mount
   ● ├─snap-core24-1243.mount
   ● ├─snap-cups-1130.mount
   ● ├─snap-cups-1134.mount
   ● ├─snap-gh-640.mount
   ● ├─snap-gnome\x2d42\x2d2204-202.mount
   ● ├─snap-gnome\x2d42\x2d2204-226.mount
   ● ├─snap-gnome\x2d46\x2d2404-145.mount
   ● ├─snap-go-10984.mount
   ● ├─snap-go-11017.mount
   ● ├─snap-google\x2dcloud\x2dcli-412.mount
   ● ├─snap-google\x2dcloud\x2dcli-414.mount
   ● ├─snap-gtk\x2dcommon\x2dthemes-1535.mount
   ● ├─snap-hugo-24943.mount
   ● ├─snap-hugo-24974.mount
   ● ├─snap-mesa\x2d2404-1165.mount
   ● ├─snap-snapd-25577.mount
   ● ├─snap-snapd-25935.mount
   ● ├─snap.cups.cups-browsed.service
   ● ├─snap.cups.cupsd.service
   ● ├─snapd.apparmor.service
   ○ ├─snapd.autoimport.service
   ○ ├─snapd.core-fixup.service
   ○ ├─snapd.recovery-chooser-trigger.service
   ● ├─snapd.seeded.service
   ● ├─snapd.service
   ○ ├─ssl-cert.service
   ● ├─sysstat.service
   ● ├─systemd-ask-password-wall.path
   ● ├─systemd-logind.service
   ● ├─systemd-networkd.service
   ○ ├─systemd-update-utmp-runlevel.service
   ● ├─systemd-user-sessions.service
   ○ ├─ua-reboot-cmds.service
   ○ ├─ubuntu-advantage.service
   ● ├─ufw.service
   ● ├─unattended-upgrades.service
   ● ├─waygate-mcp.service
   ● ├─basic.target
   ● │ ├─-.mount
   ○ │ ├─tmp.mount
   ● │ ├─paths.target
   ○ │ │ ├─apport-autoreport.path
   ○ │ │ └─tpm-udev.path
   ● │ ├─slices.target
   ● │ │ ├─-.slice
   ● │ │ └─system.slice
   ● │ ├─sockets.target
   ○ │ │ ├─apport-forward.socket
   ● │ │ ├─dbus.socket
   ● │ │ ├─dm-event.socket
   ● │ │ ├─docker.socket
   ● │ │ ├─iscsid.socket
   ● │ │ ├─multipathd.socket
   ● │ │ ├─snapd.socket
   ● │ │ ├─ssh.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-initctl.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-journald-dev-log.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-journald.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-networkd.socket
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-pcrextend.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-sysext.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-udevd-control.socket
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-udevd-kernel.socket
   ● │ │ └─uuidd.socket
   ● │ ├─sysinit.target
   ● │ │ ├─apparmor.service
   ● │ │ ├─blk-availability.service
   ● │ │ ├─dev-hugepages.mount
   ● │ │ ├─dev-mqueue.mount
   ● │ │ ├─finalrd.service
   ● │ │ ├─keyboard-setup.service
   ● │ │ ├─kmod-static-nodes.service
   ○ │ │ ├─ldconfig.service
   ● │ │ ├─lvm2-lvmpolld.socket
   ● │ │ ├─lvm2-monitor.service
   ● │ │ ├─multipathd.service
   ○ │ │ ├─open-iscsi.service
   ● │ │ ├─plymouth-read-write.service
   ○ │ │ ├─plymouth-start.service
   ● │ │ ├─proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount
   ● │ │ ├─setvtrgb.service
   ● │ │ ├─sys-fs-fuse-connections.mount
   ● │ │ ├─sys-kernel-config.mount
   ● │ │ ├─sys-kernel-debug.mount
   ● │ │ ├─sys-kernel-tracing.mount
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-ask-password-console.path
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-binfmt.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-firstboot.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-hwdb-update.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-journal-catalog-update.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-journal-flush.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-journald.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-machine-id-commit.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-modules-load.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-pcrmachine.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-pcrphase-sysinit.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-pcrphase.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-pstore.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-random-seed.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-repart.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-resolved.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-sysctl.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-sysusers.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-timesyncd.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev-early.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-tpm2-setup-early.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-tpm2-setup.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-udev-trigger.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-udevd.service
   ○ │ │ ├─systemd-update-done.service
   ● │ │ ├─systemd-update-utmp.service
   ● │ │ ├─cryptsetup.target
   ● │ │ ├─integritysetup.target
   ● │ │ ├─local-fs.target
   ● │ │ │ ├─-.mount
   ● │ │ │ ├─boot-efi.mount
   ● │ │ │ ├─boot.mount
   ○ │ │ │ ├─systemd-fsck-root.service
   ● │ │ │ └─systemd-remount-fs.service
   ● │ │ ├─swap.target
   ● │ │ └─veritysetup.target
   ● │ └─timers.target
   ○ │ ├─apport-autoreport.timer
   ● │ ├─apt-daily-upgrade.timer
   ● │ ├─apt-daily.timer
   ● │ ├─borg-backup.timer
   ● │ ├─certbot.timer
   ● │ ├─dpkg-db-backup.timer
   ● │ ├─e2scrub_all.timer
   ● │ ├─fstrim.timer
   ● │ ├─fwupd-refresh.timer
   ● │ ├─logrotate.timer
   ● │ ├─man-db.timer
   ● │ ├─motd-news.timer
   ● │ ├─phpsessionclean.timer
   ○ │ ├─snapd.snap-repair.timer
   ● │ ├─systemd-tmpfiles-clean.timer
   ○ │ ├─ua-timer.timer
   ● │ ├─update-notifier-download.timer
   ● │ ├─update-notifier-motd.timer
   ● │ └─x-token-refresh.timer
   ● ├─getty.target
   ○ │ ├─getty-static.service
   ● │ ├─getty@tty1.service
   ● │ └─serial-getty@ttyS0.service
   ● └─remote-fs.target and render as ASCII tree or simple graph

Will deliver as a Python CLI tool with tests and docs.