spacedriveapp/spacedrive · warning · anyhow::Error

Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and L

Error message

Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and Linux.

What it means

The `daemon install` subcommand is only implemented for macOS (launchd) and Linux (systemd). On any other compile target, including Windows, the stub `install_launchd_service` immediately returns this error without touching the system. It is a deliberate capability gap, not a runtime malfunction: nothing was installed and no state changed.

Source

Thrown at apps/cli/src/domains/daemon/mod.rs:464

		"active" => println!("Service status: ● Active (running)"),
		"inactive" => println!("Service status: ○ Inactive (stopped)"),
		"failed" => println!("Service status: Failed"),
		_ => println!("Service status: {}", status),
	}

	println!();
	println!("Useful commands:");
	println!("  systemctl --user status {}", service_name);
	println!("  systemctl --user start {}", service_name);
	println!("  systemctl --user stop {}", service_name);
	println!("  journalctl --user -u {} -f", service_name);

	Ok(())
}

#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux")))]
async fn install_launchd_service(_data_dir: PathBuf, _instance: Option<String>) -> Result<()> {
	Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
		"Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and Linux."
	))
}

#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux")))]
async fn uninstall_launchd_service(_instance: Option<String>) -> Result<()> {
	Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
		"Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and Linux."
	))
}

#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux")))]
async fn check_launchd_status(_instance: Option<String>) -> Result<()> {
	Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
		"Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and Linux."
	))
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 6dfeccf211)

Solutions

1. On Windows, run the daemon manually: `sd-daemon --data-dir <dir>`.
2. For auto-start on Windows, register a logon task yourself: `schtasks /create /tn SpacedriveDaemon /tr 'C:\path\sd-daemon.exe --data-dir C:\path\data' /sc onlogon`.
3. Gate the command out of cross-platform scripts: only call `daemon install` when `cfg!(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux"))`.
4. Watch upstream for a Windows service implementation; the stub marks the work as pending.

Example fix

# before (Windows)
sd-cli daemon install  # -> Daemon auto-start is currently only supported on macOS and Linux.

# after (Windows auto-start via Task Scheduler)
schtasks /create /tn SpacedriveDaemon /tr 'C:\sd\sd-daemon.exe --data-dir C:\sd\data' /sc onlogon /rl limited

fn autostart_supported() -> bool {
    cfg!(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux"))
}

if autostart_supported() { sd_daemon_install().await? } else { eprintln!("autostart unsupported; run sd-daemon manually"); }

pub fn autostart_supported() -> bool { cfg!(any(target_os = "macos", target_os = "linux")) }

match install_autostart().await {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("only supported on macOS and Linux") => { /* expected on Windows; degrade gracefully */ }
    other => other?,
}

When it happens

Trigger: Building and running sd-cli on Windows and invoking `sd-cli daemon install`; compiling for another tier (e.g. FreeBSD) and calling the subcommand.

Common situations: Cross-platform users expecting auto-start parity; CI matrices that run the same command set on Windows runners.

Related errors

• Daemon binary not found at {}. Ensure both 'sd-cli' and 'sd-
• Failed to load LaunchAgent: {}
• Failed to enable systemd service: {}
• Failed to start systemd service: {}
• Failed to parse response: {}

AI-assisted analysis of spacedriveapp/spacedrive@6dfeccf211 (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/dce753d84d73b7f7. Report an issue: GitHub.