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# 12.5 Starting Services

Contributed by Tom Rhodes.

Many users install third party software on FreeBSD from the Ports Collection and require the installed services to be started upon system initialization. Services, such as `mail/postfix` or `www/apache22` are just two of the many software packages which may be started during system initialization. This section explains the procedures available for starting third party software.

In FreeBSD, most included services, such as cron(8), are started through the system start up scripts.

## 12.5.1 Extended Application Configuration

Now that FreeBSD includes `rc.d`, configuration of application startup is easier and provides more features. Using the key words discussed in the rc.d section, applications can be set to start after certain other services and extra flags can be passed through `/etc/rc.conf` in place of hard coded flags in the start up script. A basic script may look similar to the following:

    #!/bin/sh
    #
    # PROVIDE: utility
    # REQUIRE: DAEMON
    # KEYWORD: shutdown

    . /etc/rc.subr

    name=utility
    rcvar=utility_enable

    command="/usr/local/sbin/utility"

    load_rc_config $name

    #
    # DO NOT CHANGE THESE DEFAULT VALUES HERE
    # SET THEM IN THE /etc/rc.conf FILE
    #
    utility_enable=${utility_enable-"NO"}
    pidfile=${utility_pidfile-"/var/run/utility.pid"}

    run_rc_command "$1"

This script will ensure that the provided utility will be started after the `DAEMON` pseudo-service. It also provides a method for setting and tracking the PID, or process ID file.

This application could then have the following line placed in `/etc/rc.conf`:

    utility_enable="YES"

This method also allows for easier manipulation of the command line arguments, inclusion of the default functions provided in `/etc/rc.subr`, compatibility with the rcorder(8) utility and provides for easier configuration via `rc.conf`.

## 12.5.2 Using Services to Start Services

Other services, such as the POP3 server daemons or IMAP, could be started using inetd(8). This involves installing the service utility from the Ports Collection with a configuration line added to `/etc/inetd.conf`, or by uncommenting one of the current configuration lines. Working with inetd and its configuration is described in depth in the inetd section.

In some cases it may make more sense to use the cron(8) daemon to start system services. This approach has a number of advantages because `cron` runs these processes as the `crontab`'s file owner. This allows regular users to start and maintain some applications.

The `cron` utility provides a unique feature, `@reboot`, which may be used in place of the time specification. This will cause the job to be run when cron(8) is started, normally during system initialization.

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