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Supervisor

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What Supervisor is

Supervisor is a free client/server system for monitoring and controlling processes on UNIX-like operating systems. It can start processes, report their status, and restart them after a crash. Administrators configure process behavior in an INI-style file, including restart settings and automatic log rotation. Processes can be assigned priorities and grouped for coordinated start or stop operations. Control options include a command-line client, an optional browser interface, and an XML-RPC interface. When its HTTP server is enabled, the browser interface can show and control process status; authentication can be required for commands over UNIX-domain or TCP sockets. Supervisor also provides event notifications usable by programs written in any language and extension points for Python developers. It can be installed with pip or from a downloaded distribution, including on systems without internet access. The project is intended for processes related to a project or customer, not as a replacement for init as process ID 1. It is tested on Linux, macOS, Solaris, and FreeBSD, and does not run under Windows.

Who it suits

Supervisor is aimed at system administrators managing project- or customer-related processes on UNIX-like systems. It can suit users who want process controls through command-line, browser, or XML-RPC interfaces.

What it does well

Restarts processes after crashes
Groups processes for coordinated start and stop
Offers command-line, browser, and XML-RPC controls
Can be installed without internet access
Event notifications support programs written in any language

What to know first

Does not run under Windows
Not intended to replace init as process ID 1
Configuration files may contain unencrypted credentials
Arbitrary configured paths can create vulnerabilities

Limits

Supervisor does not run under Windows and is not designed to replace init as process ID 1. Configuration files can hold unencrypted credentials, and arbitrary configured paths may introduce symlink risks.

Getting started

Open the Supervisor website
Install Supervisor with pip or a downloaded distribution
Create an INI-style configuration with per-process options
Assign priorities and groups to related processes
Enable the HTTP server if you want browser status control
Require authentication for UNIX-domain or TCP socket commands

Verdict

Supervisor provides process control, restart handling, and several management interfaces for UNIX-like systems. Protect its configuration files and follow its runtime security guidance.

Questions

How much does Supervisor cost?

Supervisor is free and has a free plan.

Which systems does Supervisor support?

It supports Linux, macOS, Solaris and FreeBSD, with self-hosted UNIX-like deployment. It does not run under Windows.

Can Supervisor restart crashed processes?

Yes. Supervisord can automatically restart processes after crashes and report their status.

How can I control processes?

Control is available through a command-line client, an optional browser interface and XML-RPC. Authentication can protect socket commands.

Can Supervisor send events or connect to other tools?

Its event protocol works with programs in any language, and Python extension points are included. Listed third-party tools include Puppet modules, Nagios and Icinga plugins, and XML-RPC clients.

Facts from Supervisor's own pages

Authentication: The server can require client authentication credentials before allowing commands over its UNIX-domain or TCP socket. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Configuration: Supervisor uses an INI-style configuration file with per-process options such as restarting failed processes and automatic log rotation. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Crash recovery: Supervisord can automatically restart processes when they crash. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Events and extensibility: Supervisor provides an event-notification protocol, an XML-RPC control interface and extension points for Python developers. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Events and extensions: Its event notification protocol can be used by programs written in any language, and it includes extension points for Python developers. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Grouped control: Processes can be assigned priorities and grouped so related processes can be started or stopped together. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Installation: Supervisor can be installed with pip or from a downloaded distribution, including on systems without internet access. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Integrations: The project lists third-party tools and libraries, including Puppet modules, Nagios and Icinga plugins, and clients for its XML-RPC interface. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Intended audience: PyPI classifies Supervisor for system administrators and POSIX systems. · pypi.org, 30 Sept 2026
Intended use: Supervisor is intended to control processes related to a project or customer and is not intended to replace init as process ID 1. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Interfaces: Supervisor provides a command-line client, an optional browser-based interface, and an XML-RPC interface for control. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
License: PyPI lists Supervisor as using a BSD-derived license. · pypi.org, 30 Sept 2026
Management interfaces: Supervisor provides centralized local or remote command-line and web interfaces for starting, stopping and monitoring processes. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Platforms: The documentation says Supervisor will not run on Windows and lists Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, and FreeBSD among tested or supported systems. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Process grouping: Processes can be assigned priorities and grouped so they can be started or stopped as a unit. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Process management: It can start processes, restart them after crashes, and report their status. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Purpose: Supervisor is a client/server system for controlling processes on UNIX-like operating systems. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Security: The documentation warns that configuration files may contain unencrypted credentials and should be protected with appropriate filesystem permissions. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Security limitation: The runtime security guidance warns that arbitrary configured paths can create vulnerabilities such as symlink attacks. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Support: The project directs users to its GitHub issues page to report bugs or other errors. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Supported systems: Supervisor is tested on Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris and FreeBSD and does not run under Windows. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Third-party ecosystem: The official documentation lists third-party dashboards, plugins, event listeners and configuration libraries for Supervisor. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026
Web interface: A sparse browser-based interface can display and control process status when the HTTP server is enabled. · supervisord.org, 30 Sept 2026

Where Supervisor stands on Freedom251

Process Monitoring Software#21 of 26