How to Execute Long-Running Processes in Golang and Prevent Them From Becoming Zombies?

Run Command in Golang and Detach It from Process

This problem arises when you need to execute a long-running process in Golang, with specific requirements such as:

• Redirecting process stdout to a file
• Controlling the process's user
• Ensuring the process continues running even after the parent program exits
• Preventing the process from becoming a zombie when it crashes
• Obtaining the PID of the running process

Your attempted solution using Cmd.Start() and Cmd.Wait() fulfills most of these requirements except for preventing the underlying process from crashing when you send SIGTERM/SIGKILL to your program.

Solution

Instead of attempting to reinvent the wheel, consider utilizing one of the following libraries:

• https://github.com/krallin/tini
• https://busybox.net/
• https://software.clapper.org/daemonize/
• https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/OpenRC
• https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/

Go-reap Library

A recommended solution is to use the https://github.com/hashicorp/go-reap library.

Notes

• Your assumption about detaching a process from its parent is incorrect. In Linux, every process has a parent process, and you cannot change it after creation.
• The "I want to run it as daemon" statement is unclear. Daemon processes in Linux have a parent PID and adhere to the parent-to-child rule.
• The issue with the underlying process crashing when SIGTERM/SIGKILL is sent to your program cannot be reproduced with the go-reap library.

Disclaimer

The provided solution focuses on addressing the issue of preventing the sub-process from becoming a zombie. For a complete solution that addresses all the requirements, a combination of approaches may be necessary.

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