svcman

A terminal UI for the systemd services you care about (your web apps plus anything else you pick). It also records their logs continuously. Navigation uses Emacs keys.

make install                 # -> ~/.local/bin/svcman
svcman logger install        # start the log recorder (systemd user service)
svcman                       # open the TUI

Workflow

Want to…	How
Track an existing service	a in the TUI (filterable picker, RET toggles), or svcman track nginx myapp
Create a new service	+ opens a form with a live unit-file preview; C-c C-c installs it, C-c C-e opens it in Emacs first. It's tracked automatically.
Edit a unit file	e opens it in Emacs and runs daemon-reload afterwards. Vendor units (/usr/lib/...) get a drop-in override.conf instead; E always edits the drop-in.
Watch logs live	RET follows the journal (C-s isearch, f follow, w wrap)
Read recorded logs	v opens the recorded file in Emacs
Health-check a web service	u sets a URL; the HEALTH column polls it every 10 s; o opens it

Editor: uses emacsclient -t when an Emacs server is running, otherwise emacs -nw. Override it with "editor" in the config. Root-owned unit files are edited through sudoedit, so Emacs runs as you with your own init file.

sudo: system-unit actions first try sudo -n (works when credentials are cached). If sudo needs a password, svcman hands the terminal over for the prompt and then returns to the TUI. User-scope units never need sudo.

Keys

C-n/C-p move · C-v/M-v page · M-</M-> ends · C-s filter · C-g cancel · M-x run a command by name · ? help · C-x C-c or q quit

s start · S stop · r restart · R reload · t enable/disable · D daemon-reload · i status · x recording on/off · C-k untrack · M-p/M-n reorder · g refresh · L install/restart the logger

Log recording

svcman-logger.service is a systemd user service running svcman daemon. It follows each tracked unit's journal and appends to ~/.local/share/svcman/logs/<unit>.log. Files rotate at 20 MB and 5 are kept (max_log_size_mb, max_log_files). The daemon saves a journal cursor per unit, so a restart neither loses nor duplicates lines. It picks up config changes within 5 s.

logger install enables lingering so the recorder runs at boot without a login. To read system units' journals you need the adm or systemd-journal group.

Files

• ~/.config/svcman/config.json: tracked services and settings (svcman paths shows all locations)
• ~/.local/state/svcman/cursors/: the logger's journal cursors