Convert Launchd KeepAlive Configuration to JSON

Launchd KeepAlive: Simple and Complex Forms

The KeepAlive key in a launchd plist can be either a simple boolean or a dictionary with conditional restart rules. This dual nature makes it an interesting conversion case.

Simple Boolean Form

<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>

This becomes "KeepAlive": true in JSON -- the service restarts unconditionally whenever it exits.

Dictionary Form

<key>KeepAlive</key>
<dict>
  <key>SuccessfulExit</key>
  <false/>
  <key>NetworkState</key>
  <true/>
  <key>PathState</key>
  <dict>
    <key>/tmp/run-service</key>
    <true/>
  </dict>
</dict>

JSON Output (Dictionary Form)

{
  "KeepAlive": {
    "SuccessfulExit": false,
    "NetworkState": true,
    "PathState": {
      "/tmp/run-service": true
    }
  }
}

Conditional Restart Rules

Sub-Key	Meaning
SuccessfulExit	Restart only on non-zero exit (when false)
NetworkState	Restart when network is available (when true)
PathState	Restart based on file existence
Crashed	Restart only after crash (when true)

Type Flexibility in Plist

This example shows how the same plist key (KeepAlive) can be either a boolean or a dictionary depending on configuration needs. The JSON representation preserves this flexibility -- a consuming application can check typeof keepAlive to determine which form is being used.