ServiceCockpit

A web cockpit for managing a Linux device (Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson or any systemd-based machine) from the browser: services, processes, files, consoles, MQTT, Bluetooth and networking, with live system metrics in the header.

Features

Page	What it does
Services	systemd services with live status, start/stop/restart, journal, unit file editor, favorites, create new services; the main PID links to the process
Processes	process list with CPU / memory / network usage, details, open ports and connections, favorites, kill; /processes?pid=N opens a process
MQTT Explorer	connect to a broker, browse topics, subscribe and publish; when no broker runs on the device, a wizard installs Mosquitto (this device only / local network / username + password) and connects to it
File Explorer	browse, edit, upload/download, cut/copy/paste, run programs with live output
Bluetooth	adapter settings, scanning and pairing, audio, file transfer (OBEX), serial port
Network	interfaces with live throughput, link speed and duplex, MTU / jumbo frames, offloads, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, NetworkManager profiles, routes, DNS, ping; ports in use with the owning process (PIDs link to Processes); LAN scanner (devices with IP, MAC, name, vendor, open services; ping one or all; your own names per MAC address, kept when the IP changes)
Tailscale	one-click install, browser or auth-key login, connect/disconnect, this device's IPs and settings (accept routes/DNS, SSH, exit node, shields up), tailnet devices and users with online status, connection type and key expiry, ping, update check and one-click update
System updates	sidebar entry with the number of pending OS updates; check, upgrade, full upgrade and remove unused packages with apt, dnf, yum, zypper, pacman or apk; reboot-required notice
Consoles	multiple root or normal shells in the browser
Header	CPU temperature and usage, memory, storage, GPU, internet status and connection type (Ethernet / Wi-Fi / …), IP, MAC, device clock (click it to set the time zone / NTP), Tailscale IP and status (orange dot on its icon when a Tailscale update is available)

Requirements

• Linux with systemd; developed on Raspberry Pi OS (Debian 12), Python 3.11
• A user with sudo rights - logging in to the cockpit is entering that user's sudo password
• Optional, per feature: bluez (Bluetooth), network-manager, ethtool, iw, wpasupplicant and dnsmasq-base (Network / Wi-Fi Direct). Mosquitto and Tailscale can be installed from their pages

Installation

git clone https://github.com/WiktorLigeza/ServiceCockpit.git
cd ServiceCockpit
./setup.sh

setup.sh creates venv/, installs requirements.txt and can optionally install and start a PhantomCockpit.service systemd unit so the cockpit runs at boot.

Running

./run_server.sh          # or: venv/bin/python app.py

Then open http://<device-ip>:2137 and log in with the device user's sudo password.

Security model

• The sudo password is validated with sudo -k and kept only in a server-side session (.flask_session/), never in a cookie.
• Every page and API requires a logged-in session.
• Network changes that could cut off the browser (MTU, forced link speed, IP settings on the interface you are connected through) are applied with a 30-second automatic rollback unless confirmed.
• The cockpit has full control over the machine. Expose it only on trusted networks or through a VPN such as Tailscale.

Project structure

app.py                     entry point: starts background workers and the server
run_server.sh / setup.sh   launcher and installer
cockpit/                   the application package
├── __init__.py            create_app(): registers every blueprint and Socket.IO handler
├── paths.py               project-root based paths (config.json, sessions, templates, static)
├── core/                  shared infrastructure
│   ├── auth.py            login, sudo session, run_sudo / require_sudo
│   ├── config_store.py    config.json settings (favorites, MQTT history, folder prefs)
│   ├── systemd.py         systemctl / journalctl wrapper
│   ├── sockets.py         open sockets and their processes (ss), for Network ports / Processes
│   ├── jobs.py            background install/update tasks with a live log (shared by wizards)
│   ├── platform_info.py   Raspberry Pi / Jetson / generic detection
│   └── gpu_monitor.py     background GPU sampling
└── features/              one module or sub-package per page / API
    ├── services.py        Services page
    ├── processes.py       Processes page
    ├── mqtt.py            MQTT Explorer
    ├── mqtt_broker.py     local Mosquitto: detect, install, configure (MQTT page wizard)
    ├── file_explorer.py   File Explorer and program runner
    ├── console.py         web consoles
    ├── clock.py           header clock, time zone / NTP dialog
    ├── metrics.py         header metrics and uplink detection
    ├── updates.py         "update available" check (this app)
    ├── system_updates.py  OS package updates (sidebar)
    ├── tailscale.py       Tailscale page: install, login, devices/users, settings, updates
    ├── export.py          source zip download
    ├── bluetooth/         controller, services (audio/files/serial), dbus_helper
    └── network/           shell, inventory, profiles, wifi, p2p, rollback, scanner, views
templates/                 Jinja2 pages (one per feature + shared header/sidebar)
static/                    css/ and js/ per feature

Each feature exposes build_<name>_blueprint() and, when it uses Socket.IO, register_<name>_socket_handlers(socketio).

Adding a feature

1. Create cockpit/features/<name>.py, or a sub-package when it grows past a few hundred lines.
2. Add a template in templates/ and assets in static/css and static/js.
3. Register the blueprint (and socket handlers) in cockpit/__init__.py.
4. Add a sidebar entry in templates/sidebar.html.

Local files (not in git)

Path	Purpose
config.json	per-device settings: favorites, MQTT connections, folder preferences
.flask_session/	server-side login sessions
venv/	Python virtual environment

TODO

• improve the console output formatting
• show CGroup under service logs
• fix tooltip background and z-level
• show and edit service files (auto restart after apply)