Linux-Server-Management-Toolkit/docs/SYSTEM-VARIABLES-REFERENCE.md

Complete System Variables Reference

Generated from: All lib/*-paths.sh and lib/system-*.sh derivation files Last Updated: 2026-03-20 Purpose: Complete list of all SYS_* variables available for scripts to use

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Overview

When launcher.sh initializes, it runs system detection once and derives all platform-specific paths. All scripts can then source lib/system-variables.sh to access these variables without needing to hardcode paths or re-detect the platform.

Key Principle: Never hardcode paths. Always use the appropriate SYS_* variable.

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System Detection Variables (from lib/system-detect.sh)

Control Panel Detection

SYS_CONTROL_PANEL          # "cpanel", "plesk", "interworx", or "none"
SYS_CONTROL_PANEL_VERSION  # Version number (e.g., "102.0.0")

Operating System Detection

SYS_OS_TYPE                # "ubuntu", "debian", "centos", "almalinux", "rocky", "cloudlinux"
SYS_OS_VERSION             # Major version (e.g., "20", "22" for Ubuntu)
SYS_OS_DISTRO              # Full distro name

Web Server Detection

SYS_WEB_SERVER             # "apache", "nginx", "litespeed", "openlitespeed"
SYS_WEB_SERVER_VERSION     # Version string

Database Detection

SYS_DB_TYPE                # "mysql", "mariadb", "postgresql"
SYS_DB_VERSION             # Version string

Mail System Detection

SYS_MAIL_SYSTEM            # "exim", "postfix", "sendmail"
SYS_MAIL_SYSTEM_VERSION    # Version string

Firewall Detection

SYS_FIREWALL               # "csf", "firewalld", "iptables", "ufw", "plesk", "none"
SYS_FIREWALL_VERSION       # Version string

Detection Status

SYS_DETECTION_COMPLETE     # "yes" when all detection is done

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Log Path Variables (from lib/log-paths.sh)

Web Server Logs

SYS_LOG_WEB_ACCESS         # Main web server access log
SYS_LOG_WEB_ERROR          # Main web server error log
SYS_LOG_WEB_DOMAIN_ACCESS  # Per-domain access logs directory (cPanel/Plesk/InterWorx)
SYS_LOG_WEB_DOMAIN_ERROR   # Per-domain error logs directory

Authentication & System Logs

SYS_LOG_AUTH               # SSH/sudo/login authentication log (/var/log/auth.log or /var/log/secure)
SYS_LOG_SSH                # SSH log (alias for SYS_LOG_AUTH)
SYS_LOG_WTMP               # Who login database (/var/log/wtmp - binary)
SYS_LOG_BTMP               # Failed login attempts (/var/log/btmp - binary)

Mail System Logs

SYS_LOG_MAIL_MAIN          # Main mail server log
SYS_LOG_MAIL_REJECT        # Mail rejection log (Exim only)
SYS_LOG_MAIL_PANIC         # Mail panic log (Exim only)
SYS_MAIL_QUEUE_DIR         # Mail queue directory (/var/spool/exim, /var/spool/postfix, etc.)

Firewall Logs

SYS_LOG_FIREWALL           # Active firewall log
SYS_LOG_FIREWALL_BLOCK     # Firewall block events log

Control Panel Logs

SYS_LOG_PANEL              # Control panel logs directory
SYS_LOG_PANEL_ERROR        # Control panel error log
SYS_LOG_PANEL_ACCESS       # Control panel access log

Database Logs

SYS_LOG_DB_ERROR           # Database error log
SYS_LOG_DB_SLOW            # Slow query log

Security Scanner Logs

SYS_LOG_CLAMAV             # ClamAV antivirus log
SYS_LOG_MALDET             # Linux Malware Detect log
SYS_LOG_RKHUNTER           # Rootkit Hunter log
SYS_LOG_IMUNIFY            # Imunify360 log directory

System Logs

SYS_LOG_SYSTEM             # Main system log (/var/log/syslog or /var/log/messages)
SYS_LOG_MESSAGES           # Alias for SYS_LOG_SYSTEM
SYS_LOG_KERN               # Kernel log
SYS_LOG_AUDIT              # Audit log (/var/log/audit/audit.log)
SYS_LOG_PKG_MGR            # Package manager log (apt or yum)

PHP Logs

SYS_LOG_PHP_FPM            # PHP-FPM error log
SYS_LOG_PHP_ERROR          # PHP error log

Service Logs

SYS_LOG_FTP                # FTP/VSFTPD log
SYS_LOG_DNS                # DNS/Named log

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Database Path Variables (from lib/database-paths.sh)

MySQL/MariaDB

SYS_DB_SOCKET              # MySQL socket location (/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock or /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock)
SYS_DB_CONFIG              # MySQL config file (/etc/my.cnf or /etc/mysql/my.cnf)
SYS_DB_CONFIG_DIR          # MySQL config directory (/etc/my.cnf.d or /etc/mysql/conf.d)
SYS_DB_DATA_DIR            # MySQL data directory (/var/lib/mysql)
SYS_DB_BINARY              # MySQL binary path
SYS_DB_TMPDIR              # MySQL temporary directory
SYS_DB_PID_FILE            # MySQL PID file

PostgreSQL

SYS_PG_SOCKET              # PostgreSQL socket directory
SYS_PG_CONFIG              # PostgreSQL config directory
SYS_PG_DATA_DIR            # PostgreSQL data directory
SYS_PG_BINARY              # PostgreSQL binary path

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Service Information Variables (from lib/service-info.sh)

Web Server Service Info

SYS_WEB_SERVICE            # Service name ("httpd", "apache2", "nginx", etc.)
SYS_WEB_USER               # Web server user ("www-data", "apache", "nginx")
SYS_WEB_GROUP              # Web server group
SYS_WEB_CONFIG_DIR         # Web server main config directory
SYS_WEB_MODULES_DIR        # Web server modules directory
SYS_WEB_VHOSTS_DIR         # Virtual hosts config directory
SYS_WEB_PID_FILE           # Web server PID file

Database Service Info

SYS_DB_SERVICE             # Database service name ("mysqld", "mariadb", "postgresql")
SYS_DB_USER                # Database system user ("mysql", "postgres")
SYS_DB_GROUP               # Database system group

Mail Service Info

SYS_MAIL_SERVICE           # Mail service name ("exim", "postfix", "sendmail")
SYS_MAIL_USER              # Mail system user
SYS_MAIL_GROUP             # Mail system group
SYS_MAIL_CONFIG            # Mail config file
SYS_MAIL_ALIAS_FILE        # Mail aliases file

SSH/Auth Service Info

SYS_AUTH_SERVICE           # SSH service name ("sshd")
SYS_AUTH_USER              # SSH user ("root")
SYS_AUTH_CONFIG            # SSH config file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config)

Firewall Service Info

SYS_FIREWALL_SERVICE       # Firewall service name
SYS_FIREWALL_CONFIG        # Firewall config directory/file
SYS_FIREWALL_ALLOW         # Firewall allow list file (if applicable)
SYS_FIREWALL_DENY          # Firewall deny list file (if applicable)

Package Manager Info

SYS_PKG_MANAGER            # Package manager name ("apt", "yum", "dnf")
SYS_PKG_MANAGER_CMD        # Package manager command
SYS_PKG_MANAGER_UPDATE     # Update command
SYS_PKG_MANAGER_INSTALL    # Install command with flags
SYS_PKG_MANAGER_REMOVE     # Remove command with flags
SYS_PKG_MANAGER_UPGRADE    # Upgrade command with flags

Init System Info

SYS_INIT_SYSTEM            # Init system type ("systemd" or "sysvinit")
SYS_SERVICE_CMD            # Service control command
SYS_SERVICE_START          # Service start command
SYS_SERVICE_STOP           # Service stop command
SYS_SERVICE_RESTART        # Service restart command
SYS_SERVICE_STATUS         # Service status command
SYS_SERVICE_ENABLE         # Service enable command
SYS_SERVICE_DISABLE        # Service disable command

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Control Panel Specific Variables (from lib/control-panel-paths.sh)

cPanel Specific Paths

SYS_CPANEL_VERSION_FILE    # /usr/local/cpanel/version
SYS_CPANEL_BIN_DIR         # /usr/local/cpanel/bin
SYS_CPANEL_SCRIPTS_DIR     # /usr/local/cpanel/scripts
SYS_CPANEL_LOGS_DIR        # /usr/local/cpanel/logs
SYS_CPANEL_ACCESS_LOG      # /usr/local/cpanel/logs/access_log
SYS_CPANEL_ERROR_LOG       # /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log
SYS_CPANEL_LOGIN_LOG       # /usr/local/cpanel/logs/login_log
SYS_CPANEL_USERS_DIR       # /var/cpanel/users
SYS_CPANEL_USERDATA_DIR    # /var/cpanel/userdata
SYS_CPANEL_MAINIP_FILE     # /var/cpanel/mainip
SYS_CPANEL_UPDATELOGS_DIR  # /var/cpanel/updatelogs
SYS_CPANEL_HULK_DB         # /var/cpanel/hulkd/cphulk.sqlite
SYS_CPANEL_HULK_CTL        # /usr/local/cpanel/bin/cphulk_pam_ctl
SYS_CPANEL_HULK_WHITELIST  # /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cphulkdwhitelist
SYS_CPANEL_PHP_DIR         # /usr/local/php
SYS_CPANEL_PHP_LOG         # /usr/local/php/lib/php.log
SYS_CPANEL_DOMAIN_LOGS     # /var/log/apache2/domlogs (or alternate)

Plesk Specific Paths

SYS_PLESK_VERSION_FILE     # /usr/local/psa/version
SYS_PLESK_BIN_DIR          # /usr/local/psa/bin
SYS_PLESK_LOGS_DIR         # /var/log/plesk
SYS_PLESK_VHOSTS_BASE      # /var/www/vhosts
SYS_PLESK_CONFIG_DIR       # /var/lib/psa/db
SYS_PLESK_LOG_STRUCTURE    # "new" (18.0.50+) or "old"
SYS_PLESK_VHOSTS_LOGS_BASE # /var/www/vhosts/system or /var/www/vhosts

InterWorx Specific Paths

SYS_INTERWORX_VERSION_FILE # /etc/interworx/iworx.ini
SYS_INTERWORX_BIN_DIR      # /home/interworx/bin
SYS_INTERWORX_LOGS_DIR     # /home/interworx/var/log
SYS_INTERWORX_IWORX_LOG    # /home/interworx/var/log/iworx.log
SYS_INTERWORX_SITEWORX_LOG # /home/interworx/var/log/siteworx.log
SYS_INTERWORX_HOME         # /home/interworx
SYS_INTERWORX_CHROOT_BASE  # /chroot/home

Common Panel Tools

SYS_PANEL_TOOL_NGINX       # ea-nginx location
SYS_PANEL_TOOL_CLOUDFLARE  # Cloudflare tool location
SYS_PANEL_TOOL_LETSENCRYPT # Let's Encrypt tool location

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Web Server Configuration Variables (from lib/web-server-config.sh)

Apache/httpd Configuration

SYS_APACHE_MAIN_CONFIG           # Main Apache config file
SYS_APACHE_CONFIG_DIR            # Apache config directory
SYS_APACHE_MODS_DIR              # Enabled modules directory
SYS_APACHE_MODS_AVAILABLE_DIR    # Available modules directory
SYS_APACHE_SITES_DIR             # Enabled sites directory
SYS_APACHE_SITES_AVAILABLE_DIR   # Available sites directory
SYS_APACHE_CONF_DIR              # Config.d directory
SYS_APACHE_CONF_AVAILABLE_DIR    # Available configs directory
SYS_APACHE_DEFAULT_SITE          # Default site config
SYS_APACHE_MOD_SSL               # SSL module config
SYS_APACHE_MOD_DEFLATE           # Deflate module config
SYS_APACHE_MOD_REWRITE           # Rewrite module file
SYS_APACHE_CPANEL_INCLUDES       # cPanel includes directory (cPanel only)
SYS_APACHE_CPANEL_MAIN_GLOBAL    # cPanel global config (cPanel only)
SYS_APACHE_CPANEL_VHOST_DIR      # cPanel vhost directory (cPanel only)

Nginx Configuration

SYS_NGINX_MAIN_CONFIG            # Main Nginx config file
SYS_NGINX_CONFIG_DIR             # Nginx config directory
SYS_NGINX_CONF_DIR               # conf.d directory
SYS_NGINX_SITES_DIR              # Enabled sites directory
SYS_NGINX_SITES_AVAILABLE_DIR    # Available sites directory
SYS_NGINX_DEFAULT_SITE           # Default site config
SYS_NGINX_FASTCGI_PARAMS         # FastCGI parameters file
SYS_NGINX_PROXY_PARAMS           # Proxy parameters file

LiteSpeed Configuration

SYS_LITESPEED_HOME               # LiteSpeed home directory
SYS_LITESPEED_CONF_DIR           # Config directory
SYS_LITESPEED_CONFIG             # Main config file
SYS_LITESPEED_VHOSTS_DIR         # Virtual hosts directory
SYS_LITESPEED_LOGS_DIR           # Logs directory

Security Modules

SYS_MODSECURITY_CONF             # ModSecurity config
SYS_MODSECURITY_RULES_DIR        # ModSecurity rules directory
SYS_MODSECURITY_AUDIT_LOG        # ModSecurity audit log
SYS_FAIL2BAN_CONFIG              # Fail2Ban config
SYS_FAIL2BAN_FILTER_DIR          # Fail2Ban filters directory
SYS_FAIL2BAN_ACTION_DIR          # Fail2Ban actions directory
SYS_CSF_CONFIG                   # CSF firewall config
SYS_CSF_ALLOW                    # CSF allow list
SYS_CSF_DENY                     # CSF deny list
SYS_CSF_WHITELIST                # CSF whitelist
SYS_CSF_REGEX                    # CSF regex file

Caching & Optimization

SYS_VARNISH_CONFIG               # Varnish config file
SYS_VARNISH_CACHE_DIR            # Varnish cache directory
SYS_PACKAGE_CACHE                # Package manager cache directory
SYS_PACKAGE_LISTS                # Package manager lists directory
SYS_PHP_OPCACHE_DIR              # PHP OPcache directory

SSL/TLS Certificates

SYS_SSL_CERT_DIR                 # System certificates directory
SYS_SSL_KEY_DIR                  # System private keys directory
SYS_SSL_CONFIG                   # OpenSSL config file
SYS_LETSENCRYPT_DIR              # Let's Encrypt directory
SYS_LETSENCRYPT_LIVE             # Live certificates directory
SYS_LETSENCRYPT_ARCHIVE          # Certificate archive directory
SYS_CPANEL_SSL_DIR               # cPanel SSL directory (cPanel only)
SYS_CPANEL_DOMAINS_SSL           # cPanel domain certs (cPanel only)

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Base Directory Variables

User Home Directories

SYS_USER_HOME_BASE               # Base directory for user homes
                                 # /home (cPanel/Standalone)
                                 # /var/www/vhosts (Plesk)
                                 # /chroot/home (InterWorx)

SYS_LOG_DIR                      # Base directory for logs
                                 # /var/log (standard)

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Usage Examples

Example 1: Check Web Access Logs

source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/system-variables.sh"

# Works on all platforms
if [ -f "$SYS_LOG_WEB_ACCESS" ]; then
    tail -f "$SYS_LOG_WEB_ACCESS"
fi

Example 2: Check Domain-Specific Logs (Platform-Aware)

source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/system-variables.sh"

# Automatically handles cPanel (/var/log/apache2/domlogs),
# Plesk (/var/www/vhosts/system/*/logs), InterWorx (/home/*/var/*/logs)
if [ -n "$SYS_LOG_WEB_DOMAIN_ACCESS" ]; then
    find "$SYS_LOG_WEB_DOMAIN_ACCESS" -name "*.log" -mtime -1
fi

Example 3: Database Operations

source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/system-variables.sh"

# Connect to database using correct socket for OS
mysql -S "$SYS_DB_SOCKET" -u root -e "SHOW DATABASES"

# Check database error log
tail -f "$SYS_LOG_DB_ERROR"

Example 4: Service Management

source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/system-variables.sh"

# Works on both systemd and sysvinit systems
"$SYS_SERVICE_RESTART" "$SYS_WEB_SERVICE"

# Or use convenience function
restart_service "$SYS_WEB_SERVICE"

Example 5: Platform-Specific Configuration

source "$SCRIPT_DIR/lib/system-variables.sh"

# Handle Apache config differently for Ubuntu vs RHEL
if [ -f "$SYS_APACHE_MODS_DIR/ssl.conf" ]; then
    echo "SSL enabled"
fi

# Check firewall configuration
if [ -f "$SYS_CSF_CONFIG" ]; then
    echo "CSF Firewall installed"
fi

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Missing or Expected Fallback

If a variable is empty or missing, it typically means:

1. That service is not installed on the system
2. The path has changed in a newer version (check version variables)
3. The variable doesn't apply to the detected platform (e.g., SYS_CPANEL_* on a Plesk server)

Always check if a variable is non-empty before using it:

if [ -n "$SYS_LOG_MAIL_MAIN" ]; then
    grep "error" "$SYS_LOG_MAIL_MAIN"
fi

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Extending System Variables

To add new variables for new services or paths:

1. Create or edit the appropriate lib/*-paths.sh file
2. Add a derive_*() function to set the variables
3. Call it from derive_all_*() function
4. Update lib/system-detect.sh to call the new derivation
5. Update this reference document
6. Source it in launcher.sh

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Related Files

• Sourced by scripts: lib/system-variables.sh (re-exports all variables)
• Detection: lib/system-detect.sh (performs initial detection)
• Derivation libraries:
  • lib/log-paths.sh
  • lib/database-paths.sh
  • lib/service-info.sh
  • lib/control-panel-paths.sh
  • lib/web-server-config.sh