---
name: "sd-bus"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "systemd-libs"
version: "262.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sd-bus"
---

# sd-bus(3)

A lightweight D-Bus IPC client library

## NAME

sd-bus - A lightweight D-Bus IPC client library

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <systemd/sd-bus.h>
```

**pkg-config --cflags --libs libsystemd**

## DESCRIPTION

sd-bus.h is part of [**libsystemd**(3)](/libsystemd/3.md) and provides an implementation of a D-Bus IPC client. See **https://www.freedesktop.org/software/dbus/** for more information about D-Bus IPC.

See

[**sd\_bus\_add\_match**(3)](/sd_bus_add_match/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_object**(3)](/sd_bus_add_object/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_object\_manager**(3)](/sd_bus_add_object_manager/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_object\_vtable**(3)](/sd_bus_add_object_vtable/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_fallback**(3)](/sd_bus_add_fallback/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_fallback\_vtable**(3)](/sd_bus_add_fallback_vtable/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_filter**(3)](/sd_bus_add_filter/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_add\_node\_enumerator**(3)](/sd_bus_add_node_enumerator/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_attach\_event**(3)](/sd_bus_attach_event/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_call**(3)](/sd_bus_call/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_call\_async**(3)](/sd_bus_call_async/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_call\_method**(3)](/sd_bus_call_method/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_call\_method\_async**(3)](/sd_bus_call_method_async/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_can\_send**(3)](/sd_bus_can_send/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_close**(3)](/sd_bus_close/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_creds\_get\_pid**(3)](/sd_bus_creds_get_pid/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_creds\_new\_from\_pid**(3)](/sd_bus_creds_new_from_pid/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_default**(3)](/sd_bus_default/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_interfaces\_added**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_interfaces_added/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_interfaces\_added\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_interfaces_added_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_interfaces\_removed**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_interfaces_removed/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_interfaces\_removed\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_interfaces_removed_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_object\_added**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_object_added/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_object\_removed**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_object_removed/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_properties\_changed**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_properties_changed/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_properties\_changed\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_properties_changed_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_signal**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_signal/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_signalv**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_signalv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_signal\_to**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_signal_to/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_emit\_signal\_tov**(3)](/sd_bus_emit_signal_tov/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_enqueue\_for\_read**(3)](/sd_bus_enqueue_for_read/3.md),

[**sd-bus-errors**(3)](/sd-bus-errors/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_error**(3)](/sd_bus_error/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_error\_add\_map**(3)](/sd_bus_error_add_map/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_address**(3)](/sd_bus_get_address/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_allow\_interactive\_authorization**(3)](/sd_bus_get_allow_interactive_authorization/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_bus\_id**(3)](/sd_bus_get_bus_id/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_creds\_mask**(3)](/sd_bus_get_creds_mask/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_current\_handler**(3)](/sd_bus_get_current_handler/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_current\_message**(3)](/sd_bus_get_current_message/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_current\_slot**(3)](/sd_bus_get_current_slot/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_current\_userdata**(3)](/sd_bus_get_current_userdata/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_exit\_on\_disconnect**(3)](/sd_bus_get_exit_on_disconnect/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_fd**(3)](/sd_bus_get_fd/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_method\_call\_timeout**(3)](/sd_bus_get_method_call_timeout/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_n\_queued\_read**(3)](/sd_bus_get_n_queued_read/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_name\_creds**(3)](/sd_bus_get_name_creds/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_name\_machine\_id**(3)](/sd_bus_get_name_machine_id/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_owner\_creds**(3)](/sd_bus_get_owner_creds/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_property**(3)](/sd_bus_get_property/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_property\_string**(3)](/sd_bus_get_property_string/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_property\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_get_property_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_property\_trivial**(3)](/sd_bus_get_property_trivial/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_scope**(3)](/sd_bus_get_scope/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_tid**(3)](/sd_bus_get_tid/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_get\_unique\_name**(3)](/sd_bus_get_unique_name/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_interface\_name\_is\_valid**(3)](/sd_bus_interface_name_is_valid/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_is\_bus\_client**(3)](/sd_bus_is_bus_client/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_is\_monitor**(3)](/sd_bus_is_monitor/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_is\_open**(3)](/sd_bus_is_open/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_is\_server**(3)](/sd_bus_is_server/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_list\_names**(3)](/sd_bus_list_names/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_append**(3)](/sd_bus_message_append/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_append\_array**(3)](/sd_bus_message_append_array/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_append\_basic**(3)](/sd_bus_message_append_basic/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_append\_string\_memfd**(3)](/sd_bus_message_append_string_memfd/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_append\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_message_append_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_at\_end**(3)](/sd_bus_message_at_end/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_close\_container**(3)](/sd_bus_message_close_container/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_copy**(3)](/sd_bus_message_copy/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_dump**(3)](/sd_bus_message_dump/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_enter\_container**(3)](/sd_bus_message_enter_container/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_exit\_container**(3)](/sd_bus_message_exit_container/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_allow\_interactive\_authorization**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_allow_interactive_authorization/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_cookie**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_cookie/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_creds**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_creds/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_errno**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_errno/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_error**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_error/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_monotonic\_usec**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_monotonic_usec/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_sender**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_sender/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_signature**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_signature/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_get\_type**(3)](/sd_bus_message_get_type/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_new**(3)](/sd_bus_message_new/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_new\_method\_call**(3)](/sd_bus_message_new_method_call/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_new\_method\_error**(3)](/sd_bus_message_new_method_error/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_new\_signal**(3)](/sd_bus_message_new_signal/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_new\_signal\_to**(3)](/sd_bus_message_new_signal_to/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_open\_container**(3)](/sd_bus_message_open_container/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_peek\_type**(3)](/sd_bus_message_peek_type/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_read**(3)](/sd_bus_message_read/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_read\_array**(3)](/sd_bus_message_read_array/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_read\_basic**(3)](/sd_bus_message_read_basic/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_read\_strv**(3)](/sd_bus_message_read_strv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_rewind**(3)](/sd_bus_message_rewind/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_seal**(3)](/sd_bus_message_seal/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_send**(3)](/sd_bus_message_send/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_sensitive**(3)](/sd_bus_message_sensitive/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_set\_allow\_interactive\_authorization**(3)](/sd_bus_message_set_allow_interactive_authorization/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_set\_destination**(3)](/sd_bus_message_set_destination/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_set\_expect\_reply**(3)](/sd_bus_message_set_expect_reply/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_set\_sender**(3)](/sd_bus_message_set_sender/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_skip**(3)](/sd_bus_message_skip/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_message\_verify\_type**(3)](/sd_bus_message_verify_type/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_negotiate\_fds**(3)](/sd_bus_negotiate_fds/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_new**(3)](/sd_bus_new/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_path\_encode**(3)](/sd_bus_path_encode/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_pending\_method\_calls**(3)](/sd_bus_pending_method_calls/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_process**(3)](/sd_bus_process/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_query\_sender\_creds**(3)](/sd_bus_query_sender_creds/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_query\_sender\_privilege**(3)](/sd_bus_query_sender_privilege/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_reply\_method\_error**(3)](/sd_bus_reply_method_error/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_reply\_method\_return**(3)](/sd_bus_reply_method_return/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_request\_name**(3)](/sd_bus_request_name/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_send**(3)](/sd_bus_send/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_send\_to**(3)](/sd_bus_send_to/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_address**(3)](/sd_bus_set_address/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_allow\_interactive\_authorization**(3)](/sd_bus_set_allow_interactive_authorization/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_bus\_client**(3)](/sd_bus_set_bus_client/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_close\_on\_exit**(3)](/sd_bus_set_close_on_exit/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_connected\_signal**(3)](/sd_bus_set_connected_signal/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_description**(3)](/sd_bus_set_description/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_exit\_on\_disconnect**(3)](/sd_bus_set_exit_on_disconnect/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_fd**(3)](/sd_bus_set_fd/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_method\_call\_timeout**(3)](/sd_bus_set_method_call_timeout/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_monitor**(3)](/sd_bus_set_monitor/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_property**(3)](/sd_bus_set_property/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_propertyv**(3)](/sd_bus_set_propertyv/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_sender**(3)](/sd_bus_set_sender/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_server**(3)](/sd_bus_set_server/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_set\_watch\_bind**(3)](/sd_bus_set_watch_bind/3.md)

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_get\_current\_handler**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_get_current_handler/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_get\_current\_message**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_get_current_message/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_get\_current\_userdata**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_get_current_userdata/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_set\_description**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_set_description/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_set\_destroy\_callback**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_set_destroy_callback/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_set\_floating**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_set_floating/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_slot\_set\_userdata**(3)](/sd_bus_slot_set_userdata/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_start**(3)](/sd_bus_start/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_track\_add\_name**(3)](/sd_bus_track_add_name/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_track\_new**(3)](/sd_bus_track_new/3.md),

[**sd\_bus\_wait**(3)](/sd_bus_wait/3.md)

for more information about the functions available.

The [**busctl**(1)](/busctl/1.md) tool makes the functionality implemented by sd-bus available from the command line.

## NOTES

Functions described here are available as a shared library, which can be compiled against and linked to with the **libsystemd** [**pkg-config**(1)](/pkg-config/1.md) file.

The code described here uses [**getenv**(3)](/getenv/3.md), which is declared to be not multi-thread-safe. This means that the code calling the functions described here must not call [**setenv**(3)](/setenv/3.md) from a parallel thread. It is recommended to only do calls to **setenv()** from an early phase of the program when no other threads have been started.

## SEE ALSO

[**systemd**(1)](/systemd/1.md), [**sd-event**(3)](/sd-event/3.md), [**busctl**(1)](/busctl/1.md), [**sd-varlink**(3)](/sd-varlink/3.md), [**dbus-daemon**(1)](/dbus-daemon/1.md), [**dbus-send**(1)](/dbus-send/1.md), [**pkg-config**(1)](/pkg-config/1.md)