JF failed to start due to missing log folder

[Frank]

Had this weird problem that JF from time to time failed to start on Linux Mint. 

Turns out that I used Stacer to clean up my system which deleted the /var/log/jellyfin folder 
causing JF failing to start. 

No big deal to fix this (once you know the source prob) but imho why does JF not just create a missing log folder ?

[TheDreadPirate]

That folder is created during install by the root user. The default ownership of /var/log is root:root with 755 permissions. So only the root user can create new files and folders.

[Frank]

I get it - thanks for your feedback.
Its just so that JF not starting due to a missing log folder is something I did not expect from a sophisticated software like JF.

[TheDreadPirate]

Jellyfin, literally, doesn't have permission from the operating to recreate a folder that root originally created. Jellyfin runs as the low privilege "jellyfin" user and /var/log is a sensitive, highly privileged folder. Unless you change the permissions for /var/log (very much NOT recommended), the Jellyfin service will not start since /var/log/jellyfin is a required directory.

This is done on purpose and is not an oversight. One of the double edged swords of Linux is that you are fully in control. But that also means there are no guard rails from mistakenly deleting stuff you shouldn't.