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chkconfig

system managementLinux (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora)
The chkconfig command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. chkconfig Tool for managing services in SysV init systems
See ExamplesView Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

chkconfig

Category:

system management

Platform:

Linux (RHEL/CentOS/Fedora)

Basic Usage:

chkconfig [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

    Syntax

    chkconfig [--list] [--type type] [name]
chkconfig --add name
chkconfig --del name
chkconfig [--level levels] name <on|off|reset|resetpriorities>

    Options

    Option Description
    --level levels Specify runlevels to operate on (0-6)
    --add name Add a new service for management by chkconfig
    --del name Remove a service from chkconfig management
    --list [name] List services (or specific service) and their current configuration
    --type type List only specified type of services (sysv, xinetd)
    --override name Override system-wide enablement state for a specific service
    --help Display help message and exit

    Examples

    How to Use These Examples

    The examples below show common ways to use the chkconfig command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

    #

    Basic Examples:

    # List all services and their current settings
chkconfig --list
    # Check if a specific service is configured to start at boot chkconfig --list httpd
    # Enable a service to start at boot in runlevels 3, 4, and 5 sudo chkconfig --level 345 httpd on
    # Disable a service from starting at boot sudo chkconfig httpd off
    # Add a new service to be managed by chkconfig sudo chkconfig --add custom-service

    Advanced Examples:

    # List only xinetd services
chkconfig --list --type xinetd
    # Enable a service for all valid runlevels sudo chkconfig sshd on # Configure multiple services in one command sudo chkconfig --level 345 httpd on postgresql on vsftpd off # Reset a service to default settings sudo chkconfig --level 345 httpd reset # Reset priorities for a service to defaults sudo chkconfig httpd resetpriorities

    Try It Yourself

    Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

    Understanding Syntax

    Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

    Notes

    The chkconfig command is used to manage system services in Linux distributions that use the System V (SysV) initialization system. It updates and queries runlevel information for system services.

    Important considerations:

    • chkconfig has been replaced by systemctl in systems using systemd (most modern Linux distributions).
    • The command primarily works with scripts in /etc/init.d/ and configuration in /etc/rc.d/.
    • Root privileges are required to make changes to service configurations.
    • The runlevels in Linux typically include:
      • 0: System halt/shutdown
      • 1: Single user mode
      • 2: Multi-user mode without networking
      • 3: Multi-user mode with networking (no GUI)
      • 4: Not used/user-defined
      • 5: Multi-user mode with networking and GUI
      • 6: System reboot
    • For a service to be managed by chkconfig, it needs special comments (chkconfig tags) in its init script.

    When creating a new service to be managed by chkconfig, the init script should include a chkconfig comment line such as:

    # chkconfig: 345 20 80

    Where "345" are the runlevels, "20" is the start priority, and "80" is the stop priority.

    For modern systemd-based systems, equivalent functionality is provided by:

    systemctl enable/disable service_name
systemctl list-unit-files --type=service

    Related Commands

    These commands are frequently used alongside chkconfig or serve similar purposes:

    Explore All Commands

    Use Cases

    Learn By Doing

    The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the chkconfig command works in different scenarios.

    See ExamplesTry Lab Exercises
    $ chkconfig
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