Hello everyone! I know that Linux GUI advanced in last few years but we still lack some good system configuration tools for advanced users or sysadmins. What utilities you miss on Linux? And is there any normal third party alternatives?

  • Atemu
    6·
    2 days ago

    This is a configuration declaration abstraction issue. Systemd timers and services are more like primitives.

    In NixOS, we have an abstraction that allows simple declaration of a service and timer that runs some script.

    As an example, I use this to export my paperless for backup daily in a way that is safe (paperless itself cannot run during that time, guaranteed by systemd) and simple:

    https://github.com/Atemu/nixos-config/blob/ca0d39eb98c62424208487f973573478268048b4/modules/paperless/module.nix#L59-L95

    (Even without NixOS domain knowledge you should be able to follow what’s going on here.)

    All that’s needed in order to cause a systemd timer to be created for this service is to declare the startAt = "daily"; at the bottom.