# gdraheim/docker-systemctl-replacement

docker systemctl replacement - allows to deploy to systemd-controlled containers without starting an actual systemd daemon (e.g.  centos7, ubuntu16)

Repository: https://github.com/gdraheim/docker-systemctl-replacement
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/docker-systemctl-replacement
Language: Python
License: EUPL-1.2
License Family: copyleft
Last push: 2026-08-02T20:19:46+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 75/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 95, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3452, "days_push": 31, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1590, forks 407 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:08.468124+00:00)

## What it is
A Python script that replaces /usr/bin/systemctl inside Docker containers, executing systemctl commands without running a real systemd daemon. It can also act as the container's PID 1 init, starting enabled services, reaping zombies, and shutting services down cleanly on docker stop.

## Use cases
- run systemctl commands inside docker containers without systemd
- use systemctl start and enable in centos7 or ubuntu16 containers
- deploy services to systemd-style containers for testing
- run systemctl as docker CMD to start all enabled services
- cleanly stop services when running docker stop
- make deployment automation tools work in containers using systemctl show

## When to choose
- you need systemd-like service management in Docker images built from systemd distros
- you want existing deployment tooling that calls systemctl to work unchanged in containers
- you need proper PID 1 behavior with zombie reaping and graceful shutdown

## When to avoid
- your containers run a single process and don't need systemd semantics
- you can use modern images without systemd unit files
- you need full systemd features like cgroups, timers, or socket activation

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: developer-tools, deployment, configuration-management, cli
- domain: developer-tools
- platform: python, cli
- tags: systemd, docker, container-init, service-management, pid1, systemctl-emulation, devops, containers, automation, linux

## Member repositories
- gdraheim/docker-systemctl-replacement (main) score 75

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:08.468124+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:54:47.374740+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/gdraheim/docker-systemctl-replacement (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:08.468124+00:00, sha 2e3fc9ccf6f0)
  - registry_pypi: https://pypi.org/pypi/docker-systemctl-replacement/json (fetched 2026-08-29T11:25:25.518618+00:00, sha c284578024a7)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.