[[startup]]
= Start up

Cockpit's `+cockpit-ws+` component is what the browser connects to and
it typically starts on demand via
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/[`+systemd+`] socket
activation.

The actual `+cockpit.service+` and `+cockpit-ws+` process will start on
demand when a browser accesses the `+cockpit.socket+`,
link:#listen[usually on port 9090]. Once a user logs in then a
`+cockpit-bridge+` process will be started in a Linux user login
session.

Only systems that you connect to with your browser need to have the
`+cockpit.socket+` enabled. For systems that you add through host
switcher the bridge is started via SSH on demand.

[[startup-shutdown]]
== Process exit

The `+cockpit-bridge+` process will exit when the user logs out. In
addition, after 10 minutes of inactivity, the `+cockpit-ws+` process
will exit on its own. The browser will automatically disconnect if it
fails to hear from the `+cockpit-ws+` process for 30 seconds.

[[startup-boot]]
== Boot start up

To make Cockpit available by default after system boot the
`+cockpit.socket+` needs to be enabled:

....
$ sudo systemctl enable cockpit.socket
....

If you wish to not have Cockpit available by default via a browser, then
the `+cockpit.socket+` should be disabled:

....
$ sudo systemctl disable cockpit.socket
....
