A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Stopping Linux Services

This article introduces the core methods for managing Linux services. Services are background - running programs, and management is fundamental to system maintenance. Modern Linux uses the systemctl tool of systemd for management. The core operations include: starting a service with `sudo systemctl start <service name>`, stopping it with `stop`, restarting with `restart`, and checking the status with `status`; setting it to start automatically at boot with `enable` and disabling it with `disable`. The self - starting status can be viewed through `list - unit - files`. Practical operations include: reloading the configuration (without restarting) with `reload` and viewing logs with `journalctl -u <service name>`. Precautions: `sudo` privilege elevation is required, the service name must be accurate (e.g., Nginx is `nginx`), and ensure the service is installed before operation. `stop` will forcefully terminate the service and may lose data; `restart` or `reload` (safer) is preferred. Mastering these can meet basic operation and maintenance needs.