SystemD: Automatic Software Update

README.md

• Install the system-update.service and system-update.timer service files to a directory that SystemD loads service definitions from.
  • The most likely directory on most distros is /etc/systemd/system/ (create this directory if it does not exist).
• sudo systemctl daemon-reload to tell SystemD to refresh its configuration cache.
• sudo systemctl enable --now software-update

If SystemD does not know about the software-update service you created, refer to your distros documention about which directories are checked for configuration. Perhaps try /usr/lib/systemd/system/ (not recommended initially)?

software-update.service

# Place this file at: /etc/systemd/system/software-update.service

[Unit]
Description=Automatic Software Update
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target

[Service]
# A "oneshot" service will execute every ExecStart command (one after the other, not in parallel).
Type=oneshot
# The command used to update your system. The example used is to udpate Flatpaks.
ExecStart=/usr/bin/flatpak --system update -y --noninteractive
ExecStart=/usr/bin/snap whatever-godawful-option-you-need-to-invoke
# Perhaps you enjoy The Hat™?
ExecStart=/usr/bin/dnf --assumeyes --refresh
# Or perhaps you basic?
ExecStart=/usr/bin/apt-get update
ExecStart=/usr/bin/apt-get dist-upgrade --assume-yes

# Uncomment the following when using apt-get, to prevent the upgrade from halting if a package wants to ask a question.
#Environment="DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive"

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

software-update.timer

# Place this file at: /etc/systeemd/systeme/software-update.timer
# This timer triggers the service with the same name.

[Unit]
Description=Automatic Software Update (Trigger)

[Timer]
# A timer that will start 5 minutes after boot, and again every day while the system is running.
OnBootSec=5m
OnUnitActiveSec=1d
Persistent=true

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target