Swif.ai allows administrators to run commands with administrator (sudo) privileges on managed Linux devices. This capability is commonly used when installing, configuring, validating, or maintaining software that requires elevated permissions.

This article explains:

How sudo execution works on Linux with Swif.ai
Which account is used to run sudo commands
Where and how scripts can be used on the Software (Applications) page

How sudo Works on Linux with Swif.ai

On Linux devices enrolled in Swif.ai:

Commands are executed using a privileged system context (root or sudo-capable service account)
Scripts run non-interactively, without prompting for a password
The end user is not interrupted
Commands run securely in the background via the Swif agent

This allows administrators to safely run commands that normally require sudo, such as:

Installing system packages
Managing services and daemons
Writing to protected directories (for example, /usr, /etc, /opt)
Running vendor installation or configuration tools

No manual sudo password entry is required.

Running sudo Commands via Software Deployment

When managing Linux applications through
Device Management → Applications, Swif.ai provides multiple script execution points that run with elevated privileges.

All scripts listed below execute with sudo / root-level permissions.

1. Pre-Install Script

When it runs:
Before the installer or package is executed.

Typical use cases:

Preparing the system environment
Removing existing versions of a package
Installing dependencies
Updating repositories

Example:

#!/bin/bash apt-get update apt-get remove -y old-package exit 0

2. Installer File

The Installer File is executed with administrator privileges.

Depending on the distribution, this may include:

.deb packages
.rpm packages
Custom shell installers
Binary installers

Swif.ai automatically handles privilege escalation.

3. Post-Install Command Script

When it runs:
After the installation completes successfully.

Typical use cases:

Activating licenses
Registering agents
Starting or restarting services
Running vendor CLI tools

Example:

#!/bin/bash  /opt/vendor/bin/agentctl activate --key XXXXXXXX systemctl enable agentd systemctl start agentd  if systemctl is-active --quiet agentd; then   exit 0 else   exit 1 fi

4. Install Check Script (Validation Rule)

When it runs:
To verify that the application is installed and functioning correctly.

Configured under Validation Rules with Rule Type = Script.

Purpose:

Detect existing installations
Prevent redundant installs
Support compliance reporting

Example:

#!/bin/bash  if command -v agentctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then   exit 0 else   exit 1 fi

exit 0 → Application detected
exit 1 → Application not found

5. Uninstaller File and Uninstall Script

When it runs:
When an application is removed or unassigned from a device.

Typical use cases:

Stopping services
Removing packages
Cleaning up configuration files

Example:

#!/bin/bash systemctl stop agentd apt-get remove -y agent-package rm -rf /opt/agent exit 0

Script Execution Order on Linux

When deploying an application, scripts execute in the following order:

Pre-Install Script
Installer File
Post-Install Command Script
Install Check Script (validation)

All steps run with sudo-level privileges.

Important Notes and Best Practices

Always include #!/bin/bash at the top of scripts
Use non-interactive flags (for example, -y for package managers)
Use absolute paths for binaries and configuration files
Return proper exit codes (0 = success, non-zero = failure)
Account for distro differences (APT vs YUM/DNF)

Summary

Swif.ai enables secure, automated execution of sudo commands on Linux devices through the Swif agent. Using the Software (Applications) page, administrators can run privileged scripts throughout the application lifecycle, including: