Examples & Recipes

Services can be installed and configured easily through the Servy GUI, but this page focuses on real-world examples using the Servy CLI for automation, scripting, and CI/CD scenarios.

Once installed, the CLI executable is available at:

C:\Program Files\Servy\servy-cli.exe

Note: If the value of --params in install command includes arguments that start with --, use an equals sign (=) to prevent parsing issues. Example: --params="--mode=production --port=7008" Without the equals sign, the CLI might interpret --mode or --port as its own options instead of part of the service parameters.

Run a Node.js / Express App as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyNodeApp" `
  --description="Node.js Express API" `
  --path="C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" `
  --params="C:\apps\myapp\server.js" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\myapp" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a Python Script as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyPythonJob" `
  --description="Python background job" `
  --path="C:\Python311\python.exe" `
  --params="C:\apps\scripts\job.py" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\scripts" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a Go App as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyGoService" `
  --description="Go background service" `
  --path="C:\apps\my-go-app\my-go-app.exe" `
  --params="--port=8080 --mode=worker" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\my-go-app" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a Java JAR as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyJavaService" `
  --description="Java Spring Boot App" `
  --path="C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-21\bin\java.exe" `
  --params="-jar C:\apps\springboot\app.jar" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\springboot" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a Rust or C++ App as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyRustService" `
  --description="Rust background service" `
  --path="C:\apps\rustsvc\rust_svc.exe" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\rustsvc" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a PHP App as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyPHPWorker" `
  --description="PHP queue worker" `
  --path="C:\php\php.exe" `
  --params="C:\apps\worker\queue-worker.php" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\worker" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a .NET App as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyDotNetApp" `
  --description=".NET Worker Service" `
  --path="C:\apps\dotnetapp\MyApp.exe" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\dotnetapp" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Or, if using dotnet runtime with a DLL:

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyDotNetApp" `
  --description=".NET Worker Service" `
  --path="C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe" `
  --params="C:\apps\dotnetapp\app.dll" `
  --startupDir="C:\apps\dotnetapp" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run a PowerShell script as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyPowerShellScript" `
  --description="Batch automation job" `
  --path="C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" `
  --params='-File \"C:\scripts\script\my script.ps1\"' `
  --startupDir="C:\scripts\script" `
  --startupType="Automatic" 

Run a Batch File as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyBatchScript" `
  --description="Batch automation job" `
  --path="C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" `
  --params="/c C:\scripts\backup-job.bat" `
  --startupDir="C:\scripts" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

Run an AutoHotkey script as a Service

servy-cli install `
  --name="MyAutoHotkeyService" `
  --description="Batch automation job" `
  --path="C:\Program Files\AutoHotkey\v2\AutoHotkey.exe" `
  --params="C:\scripts\service.ahk" `
  --startupDir="C:\scripts" `
  --startupType="Automatic"

You can find a sample AutoHotkey script here.

Running an AutoHotkey script as a service gives you clear advantages, but also some limits, and it really depends on what your script does.

When a script runs as a service, it can start immediately when Windows starts. It does not have to wait for a user to log in, so it is great for scripts that should always be running in the background, even on a machine that stays logged out most of the time. This is helpful for automation tasks that do not depend on the desktop, such as file monitoring, network checks, background cleanup or anything that works quietly without talking to the user.

The main limitation is that Windows services cannot normally interact with the desktop. This means hotkeys, mouse actions, sending keystrokes and interacting with windows on the screen will not work when the script runs as a service. These kinds of features require a user session, so they only work if the script runs after login, for example through the Startup folder or the Task Scheduler with "run at logon".

A service is useful when you want something to run early and silently with no user involved. But if your AutoHotkey script needs to press keys, respond to hotkeys, show windows or control applications on the screen, then running it as a service will not work well. In that case, starting it after login is the right option.

Tip: You can view and manage all installed services visually using Servy Manager, or automate deployments via Servy CLI.