Restart decisions depend on exit classification, delay, and start-rate limits.

systemd restart policies need explicit failure and rate rules

A restart policy decides whether a service manager should try another process after the current one ends. It can recover from a transient failure, but it cannot correct a missing configuration or a deterministic bug. The useful contract has three parts: which endings qualify, how long to wait, and how many starts are permitted within a time window. Those settings answer different questions. ...

November 7, 2027 · 4 min · XB Field Notes