Java Application as Linux Service

Introduction

Configuring a java application as a Linux service, makes management of application easier.

 

Steps

1.       Create following  init.d script under /etc/init.d directory. Suppose its name is service_name.sh.

#!/bin/bash
#

# source function library
. /etc/init.d/functions



RETVAL=0
EXECUTABLE="path_to_java_executable"
WORKDIR="service_working_directory"
LAUNCH_OPTIONS="application_launch_parameters"
GREP_EXPR="%application_name%"
PIDFILE="%application_name%.pid"

start() {
    echo -n $"Starting %application_name% service: "
   

    cd $WORKDIR

    if [[ -f $PIDFILE ]];then
        echo "pidfile is already existing. Cancelling service start."
        return
    fi

    nohup ${EXECUTABLE} ${LAUNCH_OPTIONS} &
    RETVAL=$?
       
    pid=$(ps -ef | grep ${GREP_EXPR} | grep -v grep| grep -v service | grep -v init.d | awk '{print $2}')
    echo $pid > $PIDFILE
   
    ps -fp $pid
   
    if [ $RETVAL -eq 0 ]; then
        echo "%application_name% service started successfully at pid $pid"
    else
        echo "%application_name% service start failed."
    fi
}

stop() {
    echo -n $"Shutting down %application_name% service: "
    cd $WORKDIR
    kill `cat $PIDFILE`
    rm -f $PIDFILE
    RETVAL=$?
}

status() {
    status="NOT Running"
   
    if [[ ! -z `ps -ef | grep ${GREP_EXPR} | grep -v grep` ]];then
        status="Running"
    fi

    echo "Service is $status"   
}

case "$1" in
  start)
    start
    ;;
  stop)
    stop
    ;;
  restart|reload)
    stop
    start
    ;;
  status)
    status
    RETVAL=$?
    ;;
  *)
    echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart|status}"
    exit 1
esac

exit $RETVAL

2.       Use following commands to manage service.

Bash> service service_name start

Bash> service service_name status

Bash> service service_name stop

A pid file containing pid of the process launched will be created in service working directory. When service is stopped pid file will be removed.

Summary

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