systemctl: command not found on ubuntu

What does the “systemctl: command not found” error mean?

This error indicates that the systemctl utility, which is used for managing system services, is not available on your system. It usually means that your system is not using systemd or the systemd package is not installed.

How can I check if my system is using systemd?

You can check if your system is using systemd by running the command ps -p 1 -o comm=. If the output is systemd, then your system is using systemd.

What are the alternatives to systemctl if it is not available?

If systemctl is not available, you can use the service command as an alternative to manage system services. For example, sudo service <service-name> <action>.

How do I install systemd on Ubuntu?

To install systemd on Ubuntu, you can use the following command: sudo apt-get install systemd. This will install systemd and the systemctl utility.

Why does Ubuntu not have systemctl installed by default?

Some versions of Ubuntu, especially those designed for containers or certain minimal installations, might not have systemd installed by default. These versions often use other init systems like Upstart or SysVinit, which do not include systemctl.

In Ubuntu, while working with the systemctl command, users typically manage system services, view their status, start or stop them, and enable or disable them at system startup. However, encountering the “systemctl: command not found” error suggests that the systemctl utility is not available or accessible in the current environment. This issue commonly arises in non-systemd environments or if the systemd package is not installed on the system. Resolving this error involves either replacing systemctl commands with service commands or ensuring that the systemd package is installed to enable systemctl functionality.