DNF5-NEEDS-RESTARTING(8)             dnf5             DNF5-NEEDS-RESTARTING(8)

NAME
       dnf5-needs-restarting - Needs-restarting Command

SYNOPSIS
       dnf5 needs-restarting [-p | --processes [-e | --exclude-services]] [-s
       | --services] [-r | --reboothint] [--json]

DESCRIPTION
       The needs-restarting command determines whether the system should be
       rebooted to fully apply changes from package installations and
       upgrades. Without any options, dnf5 needs-restarting will report
       whether any important packages were installed or upgraded since boot.
       This set of important packages includes the kernel, systemd, each
       package listed here: <https://access.redhat.com/solutions/27943>, and
       any package marked with a reboot_suggested advisory.

       The needs-restarting command will exit with code 1 if a reboot is
       recommended, or, when invoked with --services, if any systemd service
       needs restarting. If no action is recommended, needs-restarting will
       exit with code 0.

OPTIONS

       -p, --processes
              List processes that need restarting. If the package that provides the executable running, or any of its dependencies, have been updated since the process started, then restarting the process will be recommended.


       -e, --exclude-services
              Used with the -p, --processes option and will filter out any processes that are handled by systemd services.


       -s, --services
              List systemd services that need restarting. If the package that provides the service, or any of its dependencies, have been updated since the service started, then restarting the service will be recommended. Note that this approach is quite aggressive to recommend a restart when one may not be strictly necessary.


       -r, --reboothint
              Has no effect, kept for compatibility with DNF 4. "dnf4 needs-restarting -r" provides the same functionality as "dnf5 needs-restarting".


       --json
              Request JSON output format for machine-readable results.


JSON OUTPUT

       o dnf5 needs-restarting --json

       The command returns a JSON array containing a single object with the
       reboot hint information. The object contains the following fields:

          o type (string) - Type of output, always "reboot".

          o reboot_required (boolean) - Whether a reboot is required.

          o packages (array of strings) - List of packages that were updated
            since boot-up.

          o documentation (string) - Link to documentation explaining the
            reboot requirement.

       o dnf5 needs-restarting --services --json

       The command returns a JSON array of objects, each describing a systemd
       service that needs restarting. Each object contains the following
       fields:

          o type (string) - Type of output, always "unit".

          o unit (string) - Name of the systemd service.

       o dnf5 needs-restarting --processes --json

       The command returns a JSON array of objects, each describing a running
       process that needs restarting. Each object contains the following
       fields:

          o type (string) - Type of output, always "process".

          o pid (integer) - Process ID.

          o cmdline (array of strings) - Command line of the process.

          o package (string) - Package providing the executable.

       The --json option can be combined with --exclude-services when using
       --processes to filter out processes managed by systemd services (e.g.
       dnf5 needs-restarting --processes --exclude-services --json).

       For empty results for services or processes, the commands return [].
       For reboot hints, even if no reboot is recommended, the command returns
       a JSON array containing a single object with reboot_required set to
       false, an empty array of packages, and the documentation link.

Author
       See AUTHORS.md in dnf5 source distribution.

Copyright
       Contributors to the dnf5 project.

                               September 6, 2026      DNF5-NEEDS-RESTARTING(8)