Linux Daemon Writing HOWTO

daemon.c

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <syslog.h>
#include <string.h>

int main(void) {

    pid_t pid, sid;

    pid = fork();
    if (pid < 0) {
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

    if (pid > 0) {
        exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
    }

    umask(0);

    sid = setsid();
    if (sid < 0) {
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

    if ((chdir("/")) < 0) {
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

    close(STDIN_FILENO);
    close(STDOUT_FILENO);
    close(STDERR_FILENO);

    while (1) {
        sleep(30);
    }

    exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
}