RUNCON(1)

📦
version 9.8 · 18 versions
, in alpine 3.23

🌈 runcon(1) — the girlies' guide to running stuff in a different SELinux security context 💅

okay so first things first, bestie: this is a page from section 1 of the manual, and the whole thing is literally called runcon. that's it, that's the name. welcome to the vibe 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

runcon — run a command with a specified security context. yes, we're doing SELinux today and we're gonna slay it 🦋

💖 SYNOPSIS 💖

runcon CONTEXT COMMAND [args]
runcon [ -c ] [-u USER] [-r ROLE] [-t TYPE] [-l RANGE] COMMAND [args]

two ways in, bestie. pick your fighter 💀

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

So here's the tea: you run COMMAND with a completely-specified CONTEXT, or with the current / transitioned security context that you've tweaked using one or more of LEVEL, ROLE, TYPE, and USER. it's giving "customize your own adventure" ✨

okay so if none of -c, -t, -u, -r, or -l is specified, then the very first argument gets used as the complete context. and any extra arguments after COMMAND? those get interpreted as arguments to the command. periodt 🫶

⚠️ heads up bestie: only carefully-chosen contexts are likely to run successfully. like, don't just throw random nonsense in there and expect a glow-up, okay? 😭

So yeah — you're running a program in a different SELinux security context. and plot twist: with neither CONTEXT nor COMMAND, it just prints the current security context. cute little bonus feature 💜

also, mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. no cap, same rules for everyone 🎀

👑 the options, one by one 👑

  • CONTEXT — the complete security context. the whole package. don't skimp on it ✨
  • -c, --compute — computes the process transition context before modifying. like checking the fit before you commit to the outfit 💅
  • -t, --type=TYPE — the type (for the same role as the parent). yes, only for the same role as parent, don't @ me 🙈
  • -u, --user=USER — the user identity. who's wearing this context? 🔥
  • -r, --role=ROLE — the role. very main character energy 🌟
  • -l, --range=RANGE — the levelrange. the vibe range, if you will 🌈
  • --help — displays this help and exits. your bestie when you're lost 🫶
  • --version — outputs version information and exits. so you know which era of coreutils you're in ⭐

💀 Exit status: 💀

  • 125 — if the runcon command itself fails. it's not you, it's... actually no, it's runcon 😭
  • 126 — if COMMAND is found but cannot be invoked. found her but she refuses to come out 💀
  • 127 — if COMMAND cannot be found. she's literally not here, bestie 🫠
  • - — the exit status of COMMAND otherwise. whatever the command said, that's the answer ✨

🦋 AUTHOR 🦋

Written by Russell Coker. we stan 🫶

🎀 REPORTING BUGS 🎀

Found a bug? do NOT suffer in silence, bestie, report it:

Copyright © 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. ngl that's the whole deal, no hidden fine print 🫶

⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

iykyk 💜

okay that's the whole page, bestie 💖 this was runcon(1) — from GNU coreutils 9.8, dated September 2025, footer reading RUNCON(1) and everything. now go run something in a new security context and slay ✨💅🎀

📦 where this page comes from