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Overview
This guide explains how to configure Glances to run automatically on system startup in web server mode on Ubuntu systems. Glances is a cross-platform system monitoring tool that provides a wealth of information about your system resources.
Prerequisites
- Ubuntu 24.04 or similar
- Glances installed via pipx
- Administrative (sudo) access
Installation (If Not Already Done)
If you haven't already installed Glances:
# Install pipx if needed
sudo apt update
sudo apt install pipx
pipx ensurepath
# Install Glances
pipx install glances
Creating a Systemd Service
To make Glances start automatically on boot, you need to create a systemd service file.
Step 1: Create the Service File
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/glances.service
Step 2: Add the Configuration
Add the following content to the file:
[!IMPORTANT] Replace
YOUR_USERNAMEwith your actual username. The path must point to where Glances is installed by pipx.
[Unit]
Description=Glances in web server mode
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/.local/bin/glances -w
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5s
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Step 3: Enable and Start the Service
After creating and saving the service file, enable and start it:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable glances.service
sudo systemctl start glances.service
Step 4: Verify the Service Status
Check that the service is running correctly:
sudo systemctl status glances.service
You should see Active: active (running) if everything is working properly.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Error 217/USER
If you see an error like:
Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code)
Process: XXXX ExecStart=/home/username/.local/bin/glances -w (code=exited, status=217/USER)
This indicates an issue with the User directive. The solution is to remove the User line from the service configuration.
Service Won't Start
Check the detailed logs to identify the issue:
journalctl -u glances.service
Wrong Path to Glances
If you installed Glances in a different location, update the path in the ExecStart line accordingly.
Accessing Glances Web Interface
Once the service is running, you can access the Glances web interface by opening a browser and navigating to:
http://localhost:61208
Or replace localhost with your server's IP address to access it from other devices on your network:
http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:61208
Advanced Configuration
Custom Port
To run Glances on a different port, modify the ExecStart line in the service file:
ExecStart=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/.local/bin/glances -w --port 8080
Additional Arguments
You can add any valid Glances command-line arguments to the ExecStart line:
ExecStart=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/.local/bin/glances -w --disable-plugin docker --time 2
Common arguments:
--time 2: Update frequency in seconds--disable-plugin NAME: Disable a specific plugin--disable-webui: Disable the web UI but keep the web server
Maintenance
Stopping the Service
sudo systemctl stop glances.service
Disabling the Service
To prevent Glances from starting on boot:
sudo systemctl disable glances.service
Viewing Logs
journalctl -u glances.service
Restarting After Configuration Changes
After modifying the service file:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl restart glances.service
References
Last updated: May 1, 2025