The type of user unit to create. The selected type controls the filename suffix and the type-specific section written to the unit file. Created user units are written below the selected user's ~/.config/systemd/user directory.

service creates a guided [Service] unit for starting and supervising a process as this Unix user. timer creates a [Timer] unit that activates another user unit on a schedule. socket creates a [Socket] unit for user-level socket activation. path creates a [Path] unit that reacts to filesystem changes visible to this user. target creates a grouping or synchronization point for other user units.

slice creates a [Slice] unit for grouping this user's own units and applying resource-control settings such as CPUWeight=, MemoryMax=, TasksMax=, or IOWeight=. These limits apply only within the user's systemd manager and cannot grant control over system slices or other users.

Mount, automount and swap units are system-manager unit types and are not available when creating user units. Scope and device units are created at runtime by systemd or other programs and are not created as persistent unit files here.