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First identify what “systemd network hooks” means
The phrase can refer to two different things. A .network file is systemd-networkd configuration: it matches a link and specifies how to configure it. The systemd.network manual does not describe a NetworkManager-style script dispatcher in that file format.
For scripts triggered by systemd-networkd link-state changes, the commonly used mechanism is networkd-dispatcher, a separate daemon that listens to systemd-networkd over D-Bus. It is not a built-in script feature of systemd.network. Package names and availability vary by distribution, so check the target system’s documentation before installing or relying on a particular package.
How the event models differ
| Decision point | NetworkManager-dispatcher | systemd-networkd with networkd-dispatcher |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to manager | Service provided with NetworkManager | Separate daemon listening to systemd-networkd |
| What triggers scripts | Named actions, including up, pre-down, DHCP changes and DNS changes |
Link state changes represented by state-named directories |
| Timing model | Explicit pre-up and pre-down actions, with documented exceptions |
State-change triggers; do not assume equivalent pre-transition callbacks |
| Script inputs | Interface and action arguments, plus environment variables whose availability depends on the action and device | Environment variables including interface and state information |
| Ordering and execution | Alphabetical script order; ordinary invocations run sequentially, and queued events can become stale | Alphabetical script order within state directories; scripts run in response to D-Bus signals |
| Initial question | Does NetworkManager manage this interface, and which named event is needed? | Does systemd-networkd manage this interface, and is a state transition enough? |
NetworkManager-dispatcher: named actions and timing
The NetworkManager dispatcher reference describes a D-Bus-activated service that runs user-provided scripts when NetworkManager detects changes. Documented actions include pre-up, up, pre-down, down, dhcp4-change, dhcp6-change, connectivity-change, reapply and dns-change.
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For normal script placement, use /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d or /usr/lib/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d, including supported subdirectories. Scripts run in alphabetical order, and a file under /etc takes precedence over a same-named file under /usr/lib. Each ordinary invocation receives the interface name and action as arguments. Environment variables can provide connection, device and IP-related context, but the available values depend on the action and device.
The timing detail matters when a script must run before a transition completes: scripts in the relevant pre-up or pre-down subdirectory complete before NetworkManager reports full activation or disconnects the interface. However, pre-down is not emitted for forced disconnections such as carrier loss or a fading wireless signal. Do not make essential cleanup depend on that callback alone.
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Scripts ordinarily run one at a time and asynchronously relative to NetworkManager’s main process; an overlong script may be killed. The reference documents a no-wait.d symlink approach for parallel execution. Queued events may still run after a later event has made them obsolete, so a handler should inspect current conditions rather than assume the interface remains in the state associated with the event.
systemd-networkd state hooks via networkd-dispatcher
networkd-dispatcher groups scripts in directories named for networkd link states. Its README lists states including routable, degraded, carrier, no-carrier, dormant, configured, configuring and off. The project describes this as a more limited set of event types than NetworkManager-dispatcher’s named actions.
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Scripts are expected to be executable and root-owned. The daemon provides state and interface context through environment variables such as IFACE, STATE, AdministrativeState and OperationalState. This is a state-oriented model, not a promise of NetworkManager-style DHCP/DNS callbacks or matching pre-up/pre-down timing.
Choose and implement the right hook
- Confirm the manager. Determine whether NetworkManager or systemd-networkd controls the particular interface. Installing or configuring a hook for the other manager will not give you events from the active one.
- Match the event to the task. Use NetworkManager-dispatcher when a documented named action such as a DHCP or DNS change is needed. Use networkd-dispatcher when a systemd-networkd state transition is sufficient. If you only need to configure a link, use the appropriate
.networkconfiguration rather than treating it as a script hook. - Filter and verify at runtime. Have scripts check the interface and relevant state before acting. NetworkManager events can be queued and become stale; neither mechanism should be treated as proof that a desired condition still holds at execution time.
- Make actions safe to repeat. Keep handlers idempotent where possible and avoid unnecessary privileged operations. A repeated or delayed event should not cause damaging duplicate work.
- Check script permissions and execution time. For NetworkManager, scripts must be regular executable files owned by root, not writable by group or others, and not setuid. The networkd-dispatcher project likewise expects executable root-owned scripts. Keep handlers short and account for the relevant daemon’s execution behavior.
- Validate package and path details on the target distribution. Upstream documentation describes the mechanisms, but does not establish a universal installation command or package name for every distribution.
Which one should you use?
Use NetworkManager-dispatcher for interfaces managed by NetworkManager when its named actions and event context fit the task. Use networkd-dispatcher for interfaces managed by systemd-networkd when responding to state changes is sufficient. Treat .network files as link configuration, not as a third script-dispatch option. In either case, protect privileged scripts and verify current conditions before acting.
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