How to check the status(running/stopped) of a process/daemon in Mac?

Question

In Linux, we have the command "/etc/init.d/process_name status", this will give whether the process/daemon is running or stopped.

For Example In Ubuntu:

root@Ubu91032b-Bassu:~# /etc/init.d/ssh status

• sshd is running

root@Ubu91032b-Bassu:~#

My question is, is there any command (like above) in Mac to check the status of a daemon/process?

Answer 1

You can use the service shell command for that purpose:

bash-3.2$ service
usage: service service command
       service --list
       service --test-if-configured-on service
       service --test-if-available service
bash-3.2$ service --test-if-configured-on ssh && echo "SSH running"
SSH running

Answer 2

The documented “modern” way would, I believe, be to ask launchctl, the controlling tool for launchd, which Apple uses to replace init, inetd, crond and a bit more:

~> sudo launchctl list | grep ssh
41032   -   0x100502860.anonymous.sshd
-   0   com.openssh.sshd