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Overview

The m87 runtime is a service that runs on edge devices to enable remote access from the m87 CLI. Runtime management commands allow you to install, configure, and control this service using systemd.
Runtime commands are only available on Linux systems. These commands manage the systemd service on edge devices, not on your local workstation.

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Prerequisites

  • Linux system (amd64 or arm64)
  • systemd installed and running
  • sudo access (commands automatically use sudo when needed)

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Runtime Commands Overview

CommandDescriptionEnables on BootStarts Service
startStart service now✓✓
stopStop service nowNo change✗
restartRestart serviceNo change✓
enableEnable auto-start on boot✓✗
enable --nowEnable and start✓✓
disableDisable auto-start✗No change
disable --nowDisable and stop✗✗
statusShow service status--

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Runtime Login

Register the device as a runtime (headless flow, requires approval).

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Syntax

m87 runtime login [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--org-id <ID>Register under specific organization ID
--email <EMAIL>Register under user’s email address
You must specify either --org-id or --email, but not both.

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Examples

# Register device under organization
m87 runtime login --org-id my-company

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Approval Process

  1. Run m87 runtime login on the edge device
  2. The device shows up as “pending” in your device list
  3. From your workstation, approve the device: 
    m87 devices list
m87 devices approve <device-name>
  4. The device is now accessible remotely

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Runtime Logout

Remove runtime credentials from the device. 
m87 runtime logout
This deregisters the device and removes local authentication tokens.

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Start Runtime Service

Start the runtime service immediately and enable auto-start on boot.

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Syntax

m87 runtime start [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--org-id <ID>Organization ID for registration
--email <EMAIL>Email address for registration

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Behavior

  1. Installs systemd service file
  2. Enables service to start on boot
  3. Starts the service immediately
  4. Registers device if not already registered

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Examples

# Start runtime service
m87 runtime start
Use m87 runtime start as the quickest way to set up a new device. It handles installation, registration, and startup in one command.

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Stop Runtime Service

Stop the running service (keeps enabled at boot).

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Syntax

m87 runtime stop

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Behavior

  • Stops the currently running service
  • Service remains enabled to start on next boot
  • Device becomes unreachable until service is started again

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Example

# Stop runtime service
m87 runtime stop
Stopping the runtime makes the device inaccessible remotely. You’ll need physical or local network access to start it again.

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Restart Runtime Service

Restart the service (starts if stopped).

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Syntax

m87 runtime restart [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--org-id <ID>Organization ID for registration
--email <EMAIL>Email address for registration

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Behavior

  • If running: restarts the service
  • If stopped: starts the service
  • Matches standard systemd restart behavior

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Examples

# Restart runtime service
m87 runtime restart

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Remote Update and Restart

Update a remote device’s runtime: 
# Update and restart remote device
m87 rpi exec -it -- 'm87 update && m87 runtime restart'

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Enable Runtime Service

Configure service to auto-start on boot.

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Syntax

m87 runtime enable [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--nowEnable AND start service immediately
--org-id <ID>Organization ID for registration
--email <EMAIL>Email address for registration

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Behavior

  • Without --now: Enables service for next boot (doesn’t start now)
  • With --now: Enables service AND starts it immediately

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Examples

# Enable auto-start (doesn't start now)
m87 runtime enable

# Device will start runtime on next reboot

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Disable Runtime Service

Remove auto-start on boot.

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Syntax

m87 runtime disable [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--nowDisable AND stop service immediately

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Behavior

  • Without --now: Disables auto-start (keeps running now)
  • With --now: Disables auto-start AND stops service immediately

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Examples

# Disable auto-start (keeps running now)
m87 runtime disable

# Service runs until stopped or rebooted

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Runtime Status

Show local runtime service status.

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Syntax

m87 runtime status

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Example Output

m87 runtime status

● m87-runtime.service - m87 Runtime Service
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/m87-runtime.service; enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2026-03-01 10:23:45 UTC; 2 days ago
   Main PID: 1234 (m87)
      Tasks: 8 (limit: 4915)
     Memory: 24.5M
        CPU: 1min 32.456s
     CGroup: /system.slice/m87-runtime.service
             └─1234 /usr/local/bin/m87 runtime run

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Runtime Run (Advanced)

Run the runtime daemon directly (used by systemd service).

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Syntax

m87 runtime run [OPTIONS]

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Options

FlagDescription
--org-id <ID>Organization ID for registration
--email <EMAIL>Email address for registration

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Behavior

  • Runs in foreground (blocking)
  • Registers device if needed
  • Waits for approval if pending
  • Handles incoming connections
This command is typically only used by the systemd service. For normal operation, use m87 runtime start instead.

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Example

# Run runtime in foreground (for testing)
m87 runtime run --email user@example.com

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Complete Setup Workflow

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On Edge Device

# One command to set up everything
m87 runtime start --email user@example.com

# Device is now:
# - Registered (pending approval)
# - Systemd service installed
# - Service enabled on boot
# - Service running

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On Workstation

# 1. List devices (shows pending)
m87 devices list

# 2. Approve device
m87 devices approve my-edge-device

# 3. Access device
m87 my-edge-device shell

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Service Management

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The runtime service:

  • Runs as your user (not root)
  • Managed by systemd (start/stop/restart)
  • Auto-starts on boot (when enabled)
  • Handles privilege escalation with sudo when needed
  • Logs to journald (view with journalctl -u m87-runtime)

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View Service Logs

# View recent logs
journalctl -u m87-runtime -n 50

# Follow logs in real-time
journalctl -u m87-runtime -f

# View logs from today
journalctl -u m87-runtime --since today

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Troubleshooting

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Service Won’t Start

# View detailed status
m87 runtime status

# View logs
journalctl -u m87-runtime -n 100

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Device Unreachable

# On the edge device, check if runtime is running
m87 runtime status

# If stopped, start it
m87 runtime start

# Check network connectivity
ping make87.com

# View runtime logs for errors
journalctl -u m87-runtime -f

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Permission Errors

# Ensure user is in correct groups
groups

# Re-login to apply group changes
# (or reboot)

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Command Behavior Summary

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Start vs Enable

  • start: Enable on boot + start now
  • enable: Only enable on boot (doesn’t start now)
  • enable --now: Same as start

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Stop vs Disable

  • stop: Stop now (keeps enabled on boot)
  • disable: Only disable on boot (keeps running now)
  • disable --now: Disable on boot + stop now

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Restart

  • Restarts if running
  • Starts if stopped
  • Standard systemd behavior

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Best Practices

Runtime management tips:
  1. Always enable on boot - Use start or enable --now for production
  2. Monitor logs - Check journalctl after startup for issues
  3. Update regularly - Keep runtime updated with m87 update && m87 runtime restart
  4. Use organizations - Register devices under org IDs for better fleet management
  5. Document devices - Keep track of device names and registration details