Systemd-native process manager for Linux — a lean alternative to PM2 and
Supervisor built directly on systemd rather than a custom supervisor daemon.
Go 1.26+ · Linux only · License: Apache-2.0
| Runtime | Compiled Go, native |
| Supervisor | systemd — apps outlive the CLI |
| Sandboxing | DynamicUser + landlock |
| Config | CLI flags or Lynxfile.yml |
Startup/memory measurements and the reproduction harness:
scripts/bench — run in CI on Ubuntu 24.04 (kernel 6.17)
against PM2 5.4.3 and supervisord 4.2.5, reproducible locally with
docker build -f scripts/bench/Dockerfile -t lynx-bench . && docker run --rm lynx-bench.
# Grab the latest .deb from https://github.com/Jaro-c/Lynx/releases
sudo apt install ./lynxpm_*_amd64.deb
sudo usermod -aG lynxadm "$USER" && newgrp lynxadm
sudo systemctl enable --now lynxd
sudo lynxpm install-tools # optional: expose bun/node/go/… to the daemongh release download --repo Jaro-c/Lynx --pattern 'lynxpm_linux_amd64'
install -m 0755 lynxpm_linux_amd64 ~/.local/bin/lynxpmlynxpm start "node server.js" --name api --namespace prod --restart always
lynxpm list
lynxpm logs api --followEvery lifecycle command (stop, restart, reload, reset, delete,
flush) accepts --namespace <ns> or the <ns>:* selector — no more
xargs loops:
lynxpm restart --namespace prod # roll the prod tier
lynxpm stop 'staging:*' # halt everything in staging (quote the glob)
lynxpm delete --namespace old --purgeOne command spawns an API with no access to /home, no new privileges, and
secrets delivered through systemd credentials instead of environment disk:
lynxpm start api.js \
--name api \
--isolation dynamic \
--env-file .env.productionSecrets never appear in /proc/<pid>/environ, ps, or the on-disk spec.
Rendered docs: https://jaro-c.github.io/Lynx/. In-repo:
| Topic | Link |
|---|---|
| Runtime recipes — Node / Bun / Python / Go / Rust / Ruby / JVM / … | docs/RUNTIMES.md |
| Tutorials — Next.js, FastAPI, Django, production hardening, Lynxfile | docs/TUTORIALS.md |
Commands reference — start, list, apply, export, … |
docs/commands/ |
| FAQ — "Can I…?" / "Why does X fail?" | docs/FAQ.md |
| Architecture overview | ARCHITECTURE.md |
| Security model + threat model | SECURITY.md |
| Mode | Socket | Use for |
|---|---|---|
System (default with .deb) |
/run/lynxd/lynx.sock (0660, group lynxadm) |
Production |
| User | $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/lynx-<uid>/lynx.sock (0600) |
Dev |
System mode does not inherit the caller's env. User mode does.
Launch user mode ad-hoc with lynxd &, or sudo lynxpm startup for boot persistence. Details in the FAQ.
| Symptom | Where to look |
|---|---|
cannot reach the Lynx daemon |
lynxd & (user) or sudo systemctl start lynxd (system) |
| Daemon won't start / unit errors | journalctl -u lynxd -f |
--isolation dynamic rejected |
Needs the system-mode daemon (polkit rule is shipped in the .deb) |
| Generic usage / naming / env issues | docs/FAQ.md |
Lynx is Linux-only. Contributors on macOS/Windows should use a Linux VM or VS Code Remote-WSL.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for the full workflow and ARCHITECTURE.md for the internals.
Apache License 2.0 — commercial use, modification, and distribution permitted. Patent grant included.