Let systemd auto start user instances

systemd-user-instances.md

Reference:

• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Systemd/User#Automatic_start-up_of_systemd_user_instances
• https://superuser.com/questions/1025091/start-a-systemd-user-service-at-boot
• https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/521538/system-service-running-as-user-is-terminated-on-logout

Tips

1. Let systemd keep user instances after last session closes

$ sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

2. WantedBy=default.target

Don't use WantedBy=multi-user.target.

Example - User service to auto start SSH dynamic port forwarding

1. Create a unit file ~/.config/systemd/user/dynamic-1086-proxy.service

   [Unit]
   Description=Establishes a sock5 proxy on port 1086 (ssh -D 1086)
   
   [Service]
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/ssh -CND 1086 YOUR-PROXY-SERVER-HOST
   Restart=always
   RestartSec=5
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=default.target

   Notice: replace YOUR-PROXY-SERVER-HOST with your own proxy/jump server.

2. enable and start service

   systemctl --user enable --now dynamic-1086-proxy.service
   
   # to check service status
   systemctl --user status dynamic-1086-proxy

3. Then, if you have SwitchyOmega installed in Chrome or Firefox, you can add a proxy Profile and fill like below:

   SOCKS5 127.0.0.1 1086