io.github.crunchtools/systemd
Server Configuration
Describes the environment variables required to run the server.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR | No | Directory unit_file_write/remove operate on | /etc/systemd/system |
| DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_SOCKET | No | D-Bus system bus socket path | /run/dbus/system_bus_socket |
| SYSTEMD_EXTRA_PROTECTED_UNITS | No | Comma-separated units added to the built-in denylist |
Instructions
Guidance the server publishes about itself, which clients place ahead of the tool catalog so the model reads it before choosing anything.
This server publishes no instructions, or was last inspected before Glama recorded them.
Capabilities
Features and capabilities supported by this server
Protocol revision2025-11-25
| Capability | Details |
|---|---|
| tools | {
"listChanged": true
} |
| logging | {} |
| prompts | {
"listChanged": false
} |
| resources | {
"subscribe": false,
"listChanged": false
} |
| extensions | {
"io.modelcontextprotocol/ui": {}
} |
| experimental | {} |
Tools
Functions exposed to the LLM to take actions
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| unit_list_toolC | List systemd units. |
| unit_status_toolA | Get curated status for a unit: active/sub/load state, PID, memory, CPU. |
| unit_show_toolB | Dump the full property set for a unit (dependencies, exec settings, cgroup, etc). |
| unit_start_toolC | Start a unit. |
| unit_stop_toolA | Stop a unit. Refused for units on the protected list. |
| unit_restart_toolA | Restart a unit. Refused for units on the protected list. |
| unit_reload_toolA | Ask a unit to reload its configuration without restarting. |
| unit_enable_toolA | Enable a unit to start on boot. |
| unit_disable_toolA | Disable a unit from starting on boot. Refused for units on the protected list. |
| unit_mask_toolA | Mask a unit so it cannot be started even manually. Refused for protected units. |
| unit_unmask_toolB | Unmask a previously masked unit. |
| daemon_reload_toolA | Reload systemd's unit file cache (equivalent to systemctl daemon-reload). Returns: Reload confirmation |
| unit_file_write_toolA | Write a new unit file for setting up a service. Backs up any file it overwrites. Requires the host's unit directory (default /etc/systemd/system) to be bind-mounted into the container. Runs daemon-reload after writing. |
| unit_file_remove_toolA | Decommission a unit: stop, disable, optionally mask, back up and remove its file. Refused for units on the protected list. Best-effort on stop/disable — a unit that's already stopped or was never enabled doesn't block file removal. |
| journal_query_toolB | Query the journal — the main 2AM troubleshooting tool. |
| failed_units_toolA | List units currently in the 'failed' state — the first thing to check at 2AM. Returns: List of failed units with count |
| list_jobs_toolA | List pending systemd jobs — reveals stuck starts/stops/reloads. Returns: List of pending jobs with count |
| timer_list_toolA | List systemd timers with their next and last elapse times. Returns: List of timers with count |
| system_status_toolA | Get overall systemd manager state: running/degraded, failed and job counts. Returns: SystemState, Version, NFailedUnits, NJobs, NNames |
| hostinfo_toolA | Get host identity info: hostname, kernel, OS. Returns: Hostname, kernel, and OS details |
| session_list_toolA | List logged-in sessions — who's on this box right now. Returns: List of sessions with count |
Prompts
Interactive templates invoked by user choice
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No prompts | |
Resources
Contextual data attached and managed by the client
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
No resources | |
TDQS
Scored across 21 tools
Each tool maps to a distinct systemd action or query target, so an agent can reliably distinguish start/stop/restart/reload, enable/disable, mask/unmask, and status/show. The few similar-sounding tools like unit_status_tool and unit_show_tool are clearly differentiated by curated status versus full property dump.
All tool names are snake_case and consistently end in _tool, with most unit operations following a clear unit_<action> pattern. However, the set mixes verb-first names like list_jobs_tool and daemon_reload_tool with noun-first names like timer_list_tool and system_status_tool, creating minor inconsistency.
21 tools is on the heavy side for an MCP server, though systemd's broad lifecycle and query surface naturally requires many discrete operations. The count is borderline but not excessive enough to feel bloated, since most tools represent genuinely different systemd commands.
The toolset covers the core systemd workflow well: writing/removing unit files, enabling/disabling/masking, starting/stopping/reloading, checking status, querying the journal, and inspecting failed units/timers/jobs. Minor gaps exist such as reading the raw unit file content and tailing journal logs, but agents can accomplish most administrative tasks.