Windows Service Creator - Automatic Python Service Installation Tool

Automatically create and manage Windows services for Python scripts with zero configuration required.

Overview

Windows Service Creator is a powerful Python automation tool that simplifies the process of creating Windows services from Python scripts. With a single command, transform your main.py script into a fully-functional Windows service with automatic restart, logging, and service management capabilities.

Key Features

Automatic Service Configuration

Zero-configuration setup - automatically detects script location, working directory, and Python interpreter
Intelligent naming - uses current folder name as service identifier
Smart defaults - production-ready configuration out of the box

Robust Service Management

Auto-restart on failure - ensures your service stays running 24/7
Configurable restart delays - prevents rapid restart loops
Automatic startup - service starts automatically when Windows boots
Graceful error handling - comprehensive error management and reporting

Professional Logging

Automatic log file creation - separate stdout and stderr logs
Log rotation support - prevents disk space issues with 10MB rotation
Real-time monitoring - easy access to service output and errors
Journal-style logging - similar to Linux systemd journal

Enterprise-Ready Features

NSSM integration - uses Non-Sucking Service Manager for reliability
Auto-download capability - fetches NSSM automatically if not installed
Administrator privilege detection - prevents permission-related errors
Service conflict detection - handles existing service scenarios gracefully

Installation

Prerequisites

Windows 7/8/10/11 or Windows Server 2012+
Python 3.6 or higher installed and added to PATH
Administrator privileges required for service installation

Quick Install

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/thenik/service-windows-create.git
cd service-windows-create

# Install Python dependencies
pip install pywin32

# Run the service creator (as Administrator)
python service_windows_create.py

Manual NSSM Installation (Optional)

The script automatically downloads NSSM, but you can install it manually:

# Download from https://nssm.cc/download
# Extract and add to PATH or place in script directory

Usage Guide

Basic Usage

Navigate to your Python project directory containing main.py:
```
cd C:\path\to\your\project
```
Run the service creator as Administrator:
```
python service_windows_create.py
```
Service is automatically created, configured, and started

Command Reference

After installation, manage your service with these Windows commands:

# Check service status
sc query your_service_name

# Start the service
net start your_service_name

# Stop the service
net stop your_service_name

# Restart the service
net stop your_service_name && net start your_service_name

# Remove the service
nssm remove your_service_name confirm

Advanced Configuration

Edit service settings using NSSM GUI:

nssm edit your_service_name

Or access Windows Services Manager:

services.msc

Configuration Options

The service is automatically configured with these settings:

Setting	Default Value	Description
Script Path	`./main.py`	Python script to run as service
Working Directory	Current folder	Service execution directory
Python Interpreter	`sys.executable`	Active Python interpreter path
Service Name	Folder name	Windows service identifier
Startup Type	Automatic	Service starts with Windows
Restart Delay	5 seconds	Time between restart attempts
Log Location	`./logs/`	Service output log directory
Log Rotation	10 MB	Maximum log file size before rotation

Log Management

Viewing Logs

Access service logs in the automatically created logs directory:

# View standard output
type logs\your_service_name_stdout.log

# View error output
type logs\your_service_name_stderr.log

# Monitor logs in real-time (PowerShell)
Get-Content logs\your_service_name_stdout.log -Wait -Tail 50

Log Rotation

Logs automatically rotate when they reach 10MB, preventing disk space issues. Older logs are archived with timestamps.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

"Not running as Administrator" Error

Solution: Right-click Command Prompt or PowerShell and select "Run as administrator"

"Service already exists" Error

Solution: The script will prompt to remove and recreate the service, or manually remove it:

nssm remove your_service_name confirm

Service won't start

Solution: Check error logs in logs\your_service_name_stderr.log and verify:

Python script has no syntax errors
All dependencies are installed
File paths are correct

NSSM download fails

Solution: Manually download NSSM from nssm.cc and place in script directory

Comparison with Linux systemd

This tool provides Windows equivalents for systemd features:

systemd Feature	Windows Equivalent
`systemctl enable`	Automatic startup configuration
`systemctl start`	Service start via NSSM
`Restart=on-failure`	Auto-restart on exit codes
`RestartSec=5`	5-second restart delay
`journalctl`	File-based logging with rotation
`/etc/systemd/system/`	Windows Service Manager

Best Practices

Production Deployment

Test your Python script thoroughly before creating the service
Use virtual environments - point to the venv Python executable
Configure proper logging in your application
Set appropriate restart policies based on your use case
Monitor service health regularly using Windows Event Viewer

Security Considerations

Run services with least privilege accounts when possible
Store sensitive credentials in Windows Credential Manager
Enable Windows Firewall rules if service uses network ports
Regularly update dependencies for security patches

Performance Optimization

Minimize startup time for faster service recovery
Implement graceful shutdown handlers in your script
Use connection pooling for database services
Monitor resource usage via Task Manager or Performance Monitor

Project Structure

your-project/
├── main.py                          # Your Python application
├── service-windows-create.py                # Service creator script
├── logs/                            # Auto-generated log directory
│   ├── your_service_name_stdout.log # Standard output
│   └── your_service_name_stderr.log # Error output
└── nssm/                            # Auto-downloaded NSSM (if needed)
    └── nssm.exe

Requirements

Python: 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12
Operating System: Windows 7/8/10/11, Windows Server 2012+
Dependencies: pywin32
Privileges: Administrator access required
Architecture: x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) supported

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests, report bugs, or suggest new features.

Development Setup

# Fork and clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/thenik/service-windows-create.git

# Create a feature branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# Make changes and test thoroughly

# Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Related Projects

Support

Documentation: Full documentation
Issues: Report bugs
Discussions: Community forum

Keywords

windows service, python service, windows automation, systemd windows, service manager, python windows service, automatic service creation, nssm python, windows service installer, python daemon windows, background service windows, python script service, windows service wrapper, auto restart service, python service manager

Made with ❤️ for Python developers who need reliable Windows services

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