fix: gracefully handle missing systemctl in container environments

hermes_cli/gateway.py

@@ -231,6 +231,10 @@ def is_macos() -> bool:
 def is_windows() -> bool:
     return sys.platform == 'win32'
 
+def _is_container_env() -> bool:
+    """Detect container/K8s environment where systemd is unavailable."""
+    return bool(os.environ.get("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST") or not shutil.which("systemctl"))
+
 
 # =============================================================================
 # Service Configuration
@@ -875,6 +879,24 @@ def systemd_restart(system: bool = False):
 
 
 def systemd_status(deep: bool = False, system: bool = False):
+    if _is_container_env():
+        try:
+            from gateway.status import is_gateway_running, read_runtime_status
+            _running = is_gateway_running()
+            print(f"Gateway service: {'running' if _running else 'stopped'} (container/K8s)")
+            # Show runtime health details if available
+            _state = read_runtime_status()
+            if _state:
+                gw_state = _state.get("gateway_state", "unknown")
+                print(f"  Runtime state: {gw_state}")
+                platforms = _state.get("platforms", {})
+                for pname, pstate in platforms.items():
+                    status = pstate.get("status", "unknown")
+                    print(f"  Platform {pname}: {status}")
+        except Exception:
+            print("Gateway service: unknown (container/K8s, status check failed)")
+        return
+
     system = _select_systemd_scope(system)
     unit_path = get_systemd_unit_path(system=system)
     scope_flag = " --system" if system else ""
@@ -1741,6 +1763,9 @@ def _is_service_installed() -> bool:
 def _is_service_running() -> bool:
     """Check if the gateway service is currently running."""
     if is_linux():
+        if _is_container_env():
+            return False
+
         user_unit_exists = get_systemd_unit_path(system=False).exists()
         system_unit_exists = get_systemd_unit_path(system=True).exists()
 

hermes_cli/status.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import shutil
 import sys
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -307,23 +308,37 @@ def show_status(args):
     print(color("◆ Gateway Service", Colors.CYAN, Colors.BOLD))
 
     if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
-        try:
-            from hermes_cli.gateway import get_service_name
-            _gw_svc = get_service_name()
-        except Exception:
-            _gw_svc = "hermes-gateway"
-        try:
-            result = subprocess.run(
-                ["systemctl", "--user", "is-active", _gw_svc],
-                capture_output=True,
-                text=True,
-                timeout=5
-            )
-            is_active = result.stdout.strip() == "active"
-        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
-            is_active = False
-        print(f"  Status:       {check_mark(is_active)} {'running' if is_active else 'stopped'}")
-        print("  Manager:      systemd (user)")
+        # Detect container environment (no systemd)
+        _in_container = (
+            os.environ.get("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST")
+            or not shutil.which("systemctl")
+        )
+        if _in_container:
+            try:
+                from gateway.status import is_gateway_running
+                _gw_running = is_gateway_running()
+            except Exception:
+                _gw_running = False
+            print(f"  Status:       {check_mark(_gw_running)} {'running' if _gw_running else 'stopped'}")
+            print("  Manager:      container/K8s")
+        else:
+            try:
+                from hermes_cli.gateway import get_service_name
+                _gw_svc = get_service_name()
+            except Exception:
+                _gw_svc = "hermes-gateway"
+            try:
+                result = subprocess.run(
+                    ["systemctl", "--user", "is-active", _gw_svc],
+                    capture_output=True,
+                    text=True,
+                    timeout=5
+                )
+                is_active = result.stdout.strip() == "active"
+            except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                is_active = False
+            print(f"  Status:       {check_mark(is_active)} {'running' if is_active else 'stopped'}")
+            print("  Manager:      systemd (user)")
 
     elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
         from hermes_cli.gateway import get_launchd_label

tests/hermes_cli/test_container_detection.py

@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+"""Tests for container/K8s environment detection across gateway and status modules."""
+
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import hermes_cli.gateway as gateway_mod
+import hermes_cli.status as status_mod
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Unit Tests: _is_container_env()
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+class TestIsContainerEnv:
+    def test_returns_true_when_kubernetes_service_host_set(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "10.43.0.1")
+        monkeypatch.setattr("shutil.which", lambda name: "/usr/bin/systemctl")
+
+        assert gateway_mod._is_container_env() is True
+
+    def test_returns_true_when_systemctl_missing(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "shutil.which",
+            lambda name: None if name == "systemctl" else f"/usr/bin/{name}",
+        )
+
+        assert gateway_mod._is_container_env() is True
+
+    def test_returns_false_on_normal_linux(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "shutil.which",
+            lambda name: "/usr/bin/systemctl" if name == "systemctl" else None,
+        )
+
+        assert gateway_mod._is_container_env() is False
+
+    def test_returns_true_when_both_k8s_and_no_systemctl(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "10.43.0.1")
+        monkeypatch.setattr("shutil.which", lambda name: None)
+
+        assert gateway_mod._is_container_env() is True
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Unit Tests: systemd_status() container early-return
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+class TestSystemdStatusContainer:
+    def test_prints_running_in_container(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_container_env", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.is_gateway_running", lambda: True)
+
+        gateway_mod.systemd_status()
+
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "running" in output
+        assert "container/K8s" in output
+
+    def test_prints_stopped_in_container(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_container_env", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.is_gateway_running", lambda: False)
+
+        gateway_mod.systemd_status()
+
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "stopped" in output
+        assert "container/K8s" in output
+
+    def test_does_not_call_systemctl_in_container(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_container_env", lambda: True)
+        calls = []
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            gateway_mod.subprocess,
+            "run",
+            lambda cmd, **kw: calls.append(cmd),
+        )
+
+        gateway_mod.systemd_status()
+
+        assert calls == [], "systemctl should not be called in container env"
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# Unit Tests: _is_service_running() container path
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+class TestIsServiceRunningContainer:
+    def test_returns_false_in_container_on_linux(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "is_linux", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_container_env", lambda: True)
+
+        assert gateway_mod._is_service_running() is False
+
+    def test_calls_systemctl_when_not_container_on_linux(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "is_linux", lambda: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_mod, "_is_container_env", lambda: False)
+
+        # Both unit paths must exist for the systemctl call to happen
+        user_unit = tmp_path / "user" / "hermes-gateway.service"
+        user_unit.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+        user_unit.write_text("[Unit]\n")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            gateway_mod,
+            "get_systemd_unit_path",
+            lambda system=False: user_unit if not system else tmp_path / "nope",
+        )
+
+        calls = []
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            gateway_mod.subprocess,
+            "run",
+            lambda cmd, **kw: (
+                calls.append(cmd),
+                SimpleNamespace(returncode=0, stdout="active\n", stderr=""),
+            )[1],
+        )
+
+        result = gateway_mod._is_service_running()
+
+        assert len(calls) > 0, "should have called systemctl"
+        assert result is True
+
+
+# =============================================================================
+# E2E Tests: status.py container detection output
+# =============================================================================
+
+
+class TestStatusOutputContainer:
+    def test_status_shows_running_in_container_on_linux(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        """hermes status on Linux in a container shows running gateway."""
+        monkeypatch.setattr("sys.platform", "linux")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "10.43.0.1")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "shutil.which",
+            lambda name: None if name == "systemctl" else f"/usr/bin/{name}",
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.is_gateway_running", lambda: True)
+
+        status_mod.show_status(SimpleNamespace(all=False, deep=False))
+
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "container/K8s" in output
+        assert "running" in output
+
+    def test_status_shows_stopped_in_container_on_linux(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        """hermes status on Linux in a container shows stopped gateway."""
+        monkeypatch.setattr("sys.platform", "linux")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", "10.43.0.1")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "shutil.which",
+            lambda name: None if name == "systemctl" else f"/usr/bin/{name}",
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.is_gateway_running", lambda: False)
+
+        status_mod.show_status(SimpleNamespace(all=False, deep=False))
+
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "container/K8s" in output
+        assert "stopped" in output
+
+    def test_status_shows_systemd_on_normal_linux(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        """hermes status on normal Linux shows systemd manager."""
+        monkeypatch.setattr("sys.platform", "linux")
+        monkeypatch.delenv("KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST", raising=False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "shutil.which",
+            lambda name: "/usr/bin/systemctl" if name == "systemctl" else None,
+        )
+
+        # Mock the systemctl call that checks gateway status
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            status_mod.subprocess,
+            "run",
+            lambda cmd, **kw: SimpleNamespace(
+                returncode=0, stdout="active\n", stderr=""
+            ),
+        )
+
+        status_mod.show_status(SimpleNamespace(all=False, deep=False))
+
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "systemd (user)" in output
+        assert "container/K8s" not in output