Ansible role for creating users systemd services

This Ansible role allows for easy and painless creation of systemd services for a user running only with this user's privileges.

Requirements

Debian and apt
python3

Installation

Add this role as a submodule: git submodule add https://src.mehl.mx/mxmehl/ansible-role-systemd-user.git roles/systemd-user

Usage and examples

Basic

The example below will add, enable and start my-daemon.service for the user user1. It expects the existence of a template file my-daemon.service.j2 reachable for this role.

- name: Setup systemd user service
  include_role:
    name: systemd-user  # name of the role on your system
  vars:
    # Name of the user you want to create the service for
    user: "user1"
    # Name of the service
    service: my-daemon

Custom template / file

The following example does the same as before, but allows you to use an own template. The effective service file will still be my-daemon.service.

Alternatively, you can just copy the service file using the copy_file variable.

- name: Setup systemd user service
  include_role:
    name: systemd-user  # name of the role on your system
  vars:
    user: "user1"
    service: my-daemon
    # Use customservice.j2 as template
    template: customservice.j2
    # Use my-service.service as local file that shall be used as service file
    # copy_file: my-service.service

Define state of service

By default, the role reloads the user's systemd daemon and starts and enables the new service. You can configure that:

- name: Setup systemd user service
  include_role:
    name: systemd-user  # name of the role on your system
  vars:
    user: "user1"
    service: my-daemon
    # Service shall be stopped, disabled, and the systemd daemon not reloaded
    systemd_state: stopped
    systemd_enabled: false
    systemd_daemon_reload: false

README.md