# systemd-run

5 Hacker News commenters recommended systemd-run and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Runs programs as transient systemd units to cap memory and CPU or sandbox them. Critics wonder whether its isolation is enough.

## Why people recommend it

- Sandboxes AI agents with security properties (1 comments): "agents should be operated via `systemd-run` as a transient scope unit with the necessary security properties set" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47552155))
- Limits memory and CPU for browsers (2 comments): "systemd-run --user --scope -p MemoryHigh=XG -p MemoryMax=X+2G firefox" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49922305)) "I use `systemd-run` to run browsers with CPU quotas applied." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46419417))

## What people warn about

- Doubts its isolation is strong enough (1 comments): "I do wonder what isolation something like systemd-run can offer, if that is enough." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46876406))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [fzf](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fzf.md): 78 recommend
- [jq](https://hackerapproved.com/p/jq.md): 75 recommend
- [grep](https://hackerapproved.com/p/grep.md): 65 recommend
- [Atuin](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atuin.md): 63 recommend
- [GitHub CLI](https://hackerapproved.com/p/github-cli.md): 49 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "systemd-run", https://hackerapproved.com/p/systemd-run/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).