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SPECIFICTION
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Supervisor

supervisord.org

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Spec score 7.3 #21 of 26 in Process Monitoring Software

What it is

Supervisor is a free client/server system for starting, monitoring and controlling processes on UNIX-like operating systems. It can restart processes after crashes and report their status. Administrators set per-process options in an INI-style configuration file, including failed-process restarts and automatic log rotation. Priorities and groups let related processes be started or stopped together.

Control is available through a command-line client, an optional browser interface and an XML-RPC interface. The browser view can display and control process status when the HTTP server is enabled; authentication can be required for commands over UNIX-domain or TCP sockets. Supervisor also has an event-notification protocol usable by programs 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. It is intended for project- or customer-related processes, not as a replacement for init as process ID 1. It runs on supported UNIX-like systems and does not run under Windows.

Spec sheet

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

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Restarts processes after crashes.
  • Groups processes for coordinated start and stop.
  • Offers command-line, browser and XML-RPC control.
  • Can be installed without internet access.
  • Free to use.

Limits

  • Does not run under Windows.
  • Browser controls require the HTTP server to be enabled.
  • Configuration files may contain unencrypted credentials.
  • Arbitrary configured paths can create symlink vulnerabilities.

Who it suits

Supervisor suits system administrators who need to manage project- or customer-related processes on UNIX-like systems. It is not intended to replace init as process ID 1.

Verdict

Supervisor brings process control, status reporting and crash recovery into one configurable system. Its UNIX-like scope and security cautions are important to account for before deployment.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to SupervisorAll alternatives →

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