Journal Log Auto-Cleanup for Ubuntu 24.04 Server

Automated Bash installer for journal log rotation and cleanup on Ubuntu 24.04 Server.

This script configures a scheduled weekly cleanup of journalctl logs, keeping the last 3 days of system logs — enough for debugging without filling storage.

Fire-and-forget. Install once, logs stay under control forever.

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1. Download

git clone https://git.x-files.dk/server/journal-log-ubuntu.git
cd journal-log-ubuntu

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2. Install

sudo ./journal-log-ubuntu

This creates a cron-executed cleanup script at:

/usr/local/bin/clear-journal-log

and registers a weekly schedule under:

/etc/cron.d/clear-journal-log

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3. Schedule Details

Cleanup runs automatically:

Action	When
Journal rotation + vacuum	Every Sunday @ 02:00
Log retention window	3 days
Output log	/var/log/clear-journal.log

You don't need to add cron jobs — installer handles everything.

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4. Verify Log Rotation

Check last run:

cat /var/log/clear-journal.log

You should see:

✔ size before cleanup
✔ size after cleanup
✔ timestamped header + footer

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Post-Install

Nothing else required — scheduling is automatic.

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More Information

More guides and documentation can be found on wiki.x-files.dk

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License

Licensed under the MIT License.

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