systemctl –user

Use

systemctl --user status site.service

What It Does

systemctl --user manages services owned by your user account.

Lifecycle

systemctl --user daemon-reload
systemctl --user enable --now site.service
systemctl --user status site.service
systemctl --user restart site.service
systemctl --user stop site.service

daemon-reload makes systemd re-read unit files after edits. enable --now enables future starts and starts immediately.

Recovery Table

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
`Unit site.service not found`	Wrong file path or no daemon reload	Confirm `~/.config/systemd/user/site.service`, then run `daemon-reload`.
`Failed at step EXEC`	Bad executable path in `ExecStart`	Use `command -v python3` and update the unit.
`Address already in use`	Another process owns the port	Stop the old process or fix the port.
Command asks about system service	Missing `--user`	Re-run with `systemctl --user ...`.

Watch Out

Do not omit --user in this course. We are managing user services, not system services.

Docs Pointers

Run man systemctl.
Read systemctl manual.
Read systemd user services, service, journalctl, and systemd timer.