Script to daemonize a web application made with Play 2 framework
I am using this script in my Play 2 app Pegotes to give sys admins an easier way to start/stop/restart the application as a system daemon. I have tested it in Ubuntu 13.04, feedback about other systems is welcome.
First you need to test the script to make sure it works with your app. To do so, package your play 2.2.x app as a Debian package and install it. Then copy tazd to /etc/init.d/tazd and rename it to whateves suits better for your app. Then edit the script and change header tags such as Provides, Short-Description, Description and values of variables such as APP, DESC, NAME, DAEMON_NAME, DAEMON, PIDFILE, etc. After changing the values and adjusting the script to your needs make sure it works executing service tazd start, service tazd stop and service tazd restart replacing tazd with the name you gift to the script.
Once you are sure it works, put it in the src directory relative to your project root (dev one, not the installed app) and add the following lines to your build.sbt again replacing tazd with the name of your script:
linuxPackageMappings in Debian <+= (name in Universal, sourceDirectory in Debian) map { (name, dir) =>
(packageMapping(
(dir / "tazd") -> "/etc/init.d/tazd"
) withUser "root" withGroup "root" withPerms "0644") asDocs()
}
Once added this to your build.sbt delete the testing script in /etc/init.d and uninstall the app. Then do play reload, play clean, generate an new Debian package and install it. You should be able now to manage your app like any other daemon with service appd start/stop/restart or /etc/init.d/appd start/stop/restart.
Author: Juan Carlos Mejías Rodríguez juan.mejias@reduc.edu.cu
Most of this script is part of a template script located in /etc/init.d/skeleton in Ubuntu
This script is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.