Linux Services - General Approach#

Service Configuration Checklist#

When encountering any new service:

Understand what it does - Don't rush into clicking buttons. Read documentation first. Even 5 minutes of research saves time later.
Locate configuration files - Services usually have config files in /etc. Files can be singular or multiple across different locations (main config + user-specific).
Backup before changes - Always copy config files before modifying:
```
sudo cp /etc/service/config /etc/service/config.bak
```
Restart after changes - Most services require restart for changes to take effect:
```
sudo systemctl restart <service-name>
```
Don't restart the entire computer - restart just the service.
Check service status - Verify if service is running:
```
systemctl status <service-name>
```
Dependencies matter - Some services rely on others. Changing one may require restarting dependent services.

Check service status (no sudo needed):

systemctl status <service-name>

Start a service:

sudo systemctl start <service-name>

Stop a service:

sudo systemctl stop <service-name>

Restart a service:

sudo systemctl restart <service-name>

Enable service to start on boot:

sudo systemctl enable <service-name>

Check if service is enabled:

systemctl is-enabled <service-name>