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launchctl

List of commands for launchctl:

  • launchctl:tldr:16024 launchctl: Show all loaded agents/daemons, with the PID if the process they specify is currently running, and the exit code returned the last time they ran.
    $ launchctl list
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:50e2c launchctl: Unload a currently loaded agent, e.g. to make changes (note: the plist file is automatically loaded into `launchd` after a reboot and/or logging in).
    $ launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/${my_script}.plist
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:77656 launchctl: Manually kill the process associated with a known agent/daemon, if it is running.
    $ launchctl stop ${script_file}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:8c7ed launchctl: Manually run a known (loaded) agent/daemon, even if it is not the right time (note: this command uses the agent's label, rather than the filename).
    $ launchctl start ${script_file}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:9612f launchctl: Activate an agent which requires root privileges to run and/or should be loaded whenever any user logs in (note the absence of `~` in the path).
    $ sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchAgents/${root_script}.plist
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:b5aed launchctl: Activate a user-specific agent to be loaded into `launchd` whenever the user logs in.
    $ launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/${my_script}.plist
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • launchctl:tldr:ba9b9 launchctl: Activate a system-wide daemon to be loaded whenever the system boots up (even if no user logs in).
    $ sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/${system_daemon}.plist
    try on your machine
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