systemd user unit + timer example

instructions.md

Save these files as ~/.config/systemd/user/some-service-name.*

Run this now and after any modifications: systemctl --user daemon-reload

Try out the service (oneshot): systemctl --user start some-service-name

Check logs if something is wrong: journalctl -u --user-unit some-service-name

Start the timer after this user logs in: systemctl --user enable --now some-service-name.timer

some-service-name.service

[Unit]
Description=Do some thing
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/home/my-user-name/my-service/script.py --some-arg=some-value

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target

some-service-name.timer

[Unit]
Description=Run "Do some thing" every 30 minutes

[Timer]
OnBootSec=3min
OnUnitActiveSec=30min

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/systemd/User#Automatic_start-up_of_systemd_user_instances:

The systemd user instance is started after the first login of a user and killed after the last session of the user is closed. Sometimes it may be useful to start it right after boot, and keep the systemd user instance running after the last session closes, for instance to have some user process running without any open session. Lingering is used to that effect. Use the following command to enable lingering for specific user:

loginctl enable-linger $username

Should

• systemctl --user daemon-reload
• systemctl --user start some-service-name
• systemctl --user enable --now some-service-name.timer

be run as root or as the user?

Should

• systemctl --user daemon-reload
• systemctl --user start some-service-name
• systemctl --user enable --now some-service-name.timer

be run as root or as the user?

The user

Should
...
be run as root or as the user?

The user

Probably that's why it's called a user unit example ;-)

And for the actual directory to use you should inspect the output of pkg-config systemd --variable=systemduserconfdir.