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What is launchd and why is it running on my Mac?
This particular process, launchd, is the service management framework used by macOS, similar in some ways to Service Control Manager on Windows or systemd on many Linux distributions. A “service” is anything running in the background; on macOS these are commonly referred to as daemons…
What do you need to know about launchd?
A launchd primer covering configuration, administration and troubleshooting. Complete with examples. {{ page }} What is launchd? Wikipediadefines launchd as “a unified, open-source service management framework for starting, stopping and managing daemons, applications, processes, and scripts.
What is launchd process ID on my Mac?
When you turn on your Mac, launchd is one of the first things launched, after the kernel. This is why launchd has the Process ID, or PID, of 1, on every Mac system.
How is launchd used in the command line?
In launchd, control of services is centralized in the launchctl application. On its own, launchctl can take commands from the command line, from standard in, or operate in interactive mode. With superuser privileges, launchctl can be used to make changes on a global scale.
What does launchd do when a daemon is loaded?
If so indicated in the plist by the “OnDemand” key, the daemon is not actually loaded at the time. Rather, launchd will listen on the port, start the daemon when needed, and shut it down when it is no longer needed. After a daemon is loaded, launchd will keep track of it and make sure it is running if needed.
Why does launchd have a PID of 1?
Most everything your Mac does—connecting to networks, showing things on the display, and backing up your files—is done by a daemon on some level. When you turn on your Mac, launchd is one of the first things launched, after the kernel. This is why launchd has the Process ID, or PID, of 1, on every Mac system.