Forrest logo
back to the launchctl tool

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

This command is used to load a system daemon or launch agent using the launchctl utility with superuser privileges (hence the "sudo" command).

Here's a breakdown of the command:

  • "sudo" is a command that allows the user to run programs with the security privileges of another user (by default, the superuser or root). It prompts the user to enter their password to authenticate.
  • "launchctl" stands for Launch Control and is a command-line utility on macOS and OS X. It manages the system and user services, daemons, and agents using the launchd process manager.
  • "load" is a command that instructs launchctl to load a specified launchd job. In this case, it's used to load a system daemon or launch agent.
  • "/Library/LaunchDaemons/" is the directory where system-wide daemons are usually located on macOS. Daemons are background services that start up during system boot and run independently of user sessions.
  • "${system_daemon}.plist" is the placeholder for the specific filename of the daemon's property list (plist) file. The variable "${system_daemon}" should be replaced with the actual filename.

So, when you execute this command with an actual filename in place of "${system_daemon}", it will load the specified system daemon or agent using launchctl with the necessary privileges.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.
back to the launchctl tool