---
title: "Run AxoRouter as non-root"
url: "https://axoflow.com/docs/axoflow/0.86/provisioning/axorouter/linux/non-root/"
last_modified: "2026-06-05T15:39:28+02:00"
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://axoflow.com/docs/axoflow/0.86/llms.txt).

# Run AxoRouter as non-root

To run AxoRouter as a non-root user, set the `AXO_USER` and `AXO_GROUP` environment variables to the user’s username and groupname on the host you want to deploy AxoRouter. For details, see [Advanced installation options](https://axoflow.com/docs/axoflow/0.86/provisioning/axorouter/linux/advanced-options/index.md).

Operators must have access to the following commands:

- `/usr/bin/systemctl * axolet.service`: Controls the `axolet.service` systemd unit. Usually `*` is `start`, `stop`, `restart`, `enable`, and `status`. Used by the operators for troubleshooting.
- `/usr/local/bin/configure-axolet`: Creates initial `axolet` configuration and enables/starts the `axolet` service. Executed by the bootstrap script.
- Command to install and upgrade the `axolet` package. Executed by the bootstrap script if the packages aren’t already installed.

  - On RPM-based Linux distributions: `/usr/bin/rpm -Uv axo*.rpm`
  - On DEB-based Linux distributions: `/usr/bin/dpkg -i axo*.deb`

- `/usr/bin/systemctl * axorouter.service`: Controls the `axorouter.service` systemd unit. Usually `*` is `start`, `stop`, `restart`, `enable`, and `status`. Used by the operators for troubleshooting.
- `/usr/local/bin/configure-axorouter`: Creates the initial axorouter configuration and enables/starts the axorouter service. Executed by the bootstrap script.
- Command to install and upgrade the axorouter and the axolet package. Executed by the bootstrap script if the packages aren’t already installed.

  - On RPM-based Linux distributions: `/usr/bin/rpm -Uv axo*.rpm`
  - On DEB-based Linux distributions: `/usr/bin/dpkg -i axo*.deb`

You can permit the `syslogng` user to run these commands by running on of the following:

- On RPM-based Linux distributions:

  ```shell
  sudo tee /etc/sudoers.d/axorouter <<A
  axo ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/local/bin/configure-axolet, /usr/local/bin/setup-axorouter, /usr/bin/rpm -Uv axolet.rpm, /usr/bin/rpm -Uv axorouter.rpm, /usr/bin/tee /etc/sysctl.d/*, /usr/sbin/sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/*
  A
  ```
- On DEB-based Linux distributions: `/usr/bin/dpkg -i axo*.deb`

  ```shell
  sudo tee /etc/sudoers.d/axorouter <<A
  axo ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/local/bin/configure-axolet, /usr/local/bin/setup-axorouter, /usr/bin/dpkg -i axolet.deb, /usr/bin/dpkg -i axorouter.deb, /usr/bin/tee /etc/sysctl.d/*, /usr/sbin/sysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/*
  A
  ```