systemd geth service file

[gabx]

Some improvements:
1- no need to specify Type=simple. It is the default
2- no need to write a log file. Just use journalctl facilities
3- put all your options in one file in your home folder. It will then be easy to modify options: edit the geth.conf, reload the daemon, restart the service.
The config file shall contain one line:

$ARGS="--myOption --mySecondOption"

I wrote a pull request to go-ethereum (#2513) as systemd is now default in many Linux distro.

------------------ OPTIONAL
move the geth.ipc unix socket from the home directory and put it in the recommended and usual /run/user/userID/ directory.
To achieve this, write a systemd socket unit file and add a require in service file.

Requires=geth.socket

## /etc/systemd/user/geth.socket

[Unit]
Description=geth daemon (socket activation)

[Socket]
ListenStream=%t/geth.ipc

[gosuto-inzasheru]

Can you elaborate on the optional geth.ipc move? Why not just define ListenStream=%h/.ethereum/geth.ipc?

[gabx]

@jorijnsmit defining as you suggest, ListenStream=%h/.ethereum/geth.ipc, is not an error and works well. But more generally, a best practice is to place service sockets elsewhere than the home directory, which is not volatile and in Unix philosophy not the place for sockets.
Usually, the volatile /run directory is a very good candidate. /tmp can be used too, but will not offer same speed. /run is mounted as tmpfs filesystems -- meaning it is created at boot and reside in memory.