# portdoc learns to run in the background

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PortDoc v0.1.2 can now run in the foreground or hand its lifecycle to the operating system.

The foreground path is still useful when I want the process tied to a terminal. For everyday use, background mode is a better fit. PortDoc now uses systemd --user on Linux, a LaunchAgent on macOS, and Task Scheduler on Windows. None of those paths require administrator privileges.

The command behavior needed a little care. Running plain portdoc in an interactive terminal asks which mode to use. Noninteractive launches stay prompt-free and preserve the existing foreground behavior. The lifecycle commands also make a deliberate distinction:

• portdoc background stop stops the current process but keeps sign-in startup
• portdoc background disable stops it and removes the operating system entry
• portdoc background status reports what the native manager thinks is running

I considered letting the web dashboard restart PortDoc, but that gives the app ownership over its own parent process. The command line and native process manager are cleaner boundaries.

The release passed 146 Rust tests, strict Clippy checks, frontend validation, and platform CI on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The Windows executable was signed and timestamped, and the Homebrew formula and install scripts now resolve to v0.1.2.

One upgrade edge remains. If PortDoc is already running in background mode, users should stop it, upgrade, and start it again. Coordinating that process automatically is the next lifecycle feature.