July 18, 2020
Systemd's template unit files can be used to create multiple parameterized instances of the same unit. A common use-case is the configuration of multiple OpenVPN or Wireguard services.
I renamed my Wireguard configuration file, but the old systemd unit wg-quick@infra.service kept lurking around:
❯ systemctl list-units 'wg-quick*' --all
UNIT LOAD ACTIVE SUB DESCRIPTION
wg-quick@infra.service loaded inactive dead WireGuard via wg-quick(8) for infra
wg-quick@wg0.service loaded active exited WireGuard via wg-quick(8) for wg0
wg-quick.target loaded inactive dead WireGuard Tunnels via wg-quick(8)
Let's find the unit in the systemd configuration:
❯ find /etc/systemd/system -name 'wg-quick*'
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/wg-quick@wg0.service
/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/wg-quick@infra.service
The file is just a symlink to the base unit:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 37 Jan 11 2020 /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/wg-quick@infra.service -> /lib/systemd/system/wg-quick@.service
Remove the file and reload the systemd configuration:
❯ rm /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/wg-quick@infra.service
❯ systemctl daemon-reload