# winsw/winsw

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14,079 stars · 1,683 forks · C# · MIT

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/winsw/winsw
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/winsw-winsw.md

## Topics

`csharp` `dotnet` `hacktoberfest` `nuget` `windows-service` `windows-service-wrapper`

## Description

WinSW is an executable service wrapper that transforms standard executables into background Windows services. It provides a mechanism to register arbitrary files as system services managed by the Windows operating system, ensuring applications can start automatically on boot and restart following a crash.

The project includes a command-line interface for registering, starting, stopping, and monitoring the status of these processes. It handles the translation of Windows Service Control Manager signals into process termination requests for the wrapped executable.

The system supports XML-based configuration for defining executable paths and environment variables. It further provides standard-stream redirection to capture output and error streams into local log files.

## Tags

### Operating Systems & Systems Programming

- [Windows Service Wrappers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/windows-service-wrappers.md) — Wraps arbitrary executables to run as native Windows background services with lifecycle monitoring.
- [Background Service Hosting](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/background-service-hosting.md) — Enables older software and command-line tools to be hosted as local background system services on Windows.
- [IO Stream Redirections](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/io-stream-redirections.md) — Captures standard output and error streams from wrapped executables and redirects them to local log files.
- [Process Signal Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/process-signal-management.md) — Implements utilities to translate Windows Service Control Manager signals into process termination requests.
- [XML System Configurations](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/xml-configuration-schemas/xml-system-configurations.md) — Uses XML files to define executable paths, environment variables, and service metadata.

### Development Tools & Productivity

- [Automatic Restart Policies](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/background-processing-tools/automatic-restart-policies.md) — Ensures applications start automatically on boot and recover from crashes without manual intervention.

### System Administration & Monitoring

- [Windows Service Managers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/administrative-operations/service-and-infrastructure-management/service-management/windows-service-managers.md) — Manages the lifecycle of background applications using standard Windows service management commands.
- [Service Lifecycle Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/service-lifecycle-management.md) — Provides command-line tools to control the operational state of background services via start, stop, and restart actions. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/winsw/winsw@v3/README.md))
- [Process State Monitors](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/status-monitors/process-state-monitors.md) — Provides a utility to monitor whether a specific wrapped process is currently running, stopped, or missing. ([source](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/winsw/winsw@v3/README.md))