ifdown(8)

📦
version 0.12.1 · 3 versions
, in ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💅 ifdown — the "okay bestie, we're wrapping UP" era

hi so this is ifdown, and it lives in section 8 of the System Manager's Manual 🎀 — which means it's one of the big-girl admin commands that touches your actual system. It's the sibling of ifup, and it's the one you call when you want your network interfaces to go night night. ✨

✨ NAME ✨

ifdown — take interfaces down 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

ifdown [<options>...] <interfaces>

no cap, that's it. options first, then the interfaces you want taken down. periodt. 💅

🫶 DESCRIPTION 🫶

So here's the vibe: ifdown deconfigures interfaces based on how they're configured in the configuration database. 🗂️

Like, it's not out here guessing. It reads the config database, sees how that interface was supposed to be configured, and then undoes all of that. It's giving "reverse uno card" energy — it's the exact opposite of what ifup did. 🔥

👑 OPTIONS 👑

kay bestie, here's every single flag. I'm not skipping a single one, not even the boring ones, because every option ate and deserves its moment 💖

  • -a, --auto — only matches interfaces that are marked as auto. If it's not auto, it's not invited to this party. 🙈
  • -f, --force — forces the deconfiguration of the interface. Lowkey this option exists just for compatibility with other implementations, so don't read too much into it. it's here for the girls that need it. 🎀
  • -h, --help — displays the supported options to ifquery. (yes, that's word for word what the page says, and yes, I'm obsessed with how it points you at a whole different command 😭 iconic behaviour, no notes.)
  • -i, --interfaces FILE — use FILE as the config database. 🗄️
  • -n, --no-act — shows what commands would be run instead of actually running them. this is your test-drive mode, bestie, and it is so useful for testing configuration changes. no consequences, all the vibes. ✨
  • -v, --verbose — shows what commands are being run as they are executed. perfect for when you're nosey (affectionate) and want to watch every move. 👀
  • -E, --executor-path PATH — looks for executors in the given PATH. 🛣️
  • -I, --include PATTERN — includes PATTERN when matching against the config or state database. 🧚
  • -S, --state-file FILE — use FILE as the state database. 🗃️
  • -T, --timeout TIMEOUT — waits up to TIMEOUT seconds for executors to complete before raising an error. ⏳ so like, patience is a virtue, but only for TIMEOUT seconds okay?? then we're yelling.
  • -V, --version — prints the ifupdown-ng version and exits. short, sweet, slays. 💜
  • -X, --exclude PATTERN — excludes PATTERN when matching against the config or state database. the opposite of -I, and honestly? both are valid. 🌈

🌸 SEE ALSO 🌸

go read these next, bestie, iykyk:

💖 AUTHORS 💖

Ariadne Conill <ariadne@dereferenced.org> — thank you for the code, queen 👑

⚠️ reminder: ifdown deconfigures interfaces, which means your networking can genuinely go away. all these flags do real things to your real system — run -n (--no-act) first if you're just vibing and testing. 🫶

and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🌟 this was ifdown(8) from the System Manager's Manual, dated 2025-10-13 — love that for us. now go forth and take your interfaces down with confidence. mwah. 💅✨🦋

📦 where this page comes from