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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Why do OpenRC, runit, Sysvinit not Use Config File as Their Init Script Like Upstart/systemd? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Why do they use Shell?

Sorry for bad English. English isn't my native languange

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

they also have downsides including copy and paste leading to subtly different behaviour across units

What does this mean? How is an imperative shell scripts doing something subtly different? Why won't a declarative config file do the same?

Dependency resolution was also a bit of a hack on top of scripts to deal with concepts like run levels.

Runlevels don't really have anything to do with dependency resolution though?

The declarative approach of a proper configuration is a better and more scalable solution.

Maybe it is, but you didn't explain why.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

in systemd runlevels are basically just targets (it still sets rc?.d symlinks in /etc akaik) which have services they want and are wanted by, it's the basis for dependency handling plus you get cool security features like syscall filtering, capability limits, user switching, etc

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

Well in Void (using runit) each runlevel is just a directory with symlinks to the services.

I didn't realize systemd had these security features (except for user/group switching, which is pretty standard). You can get those with other init systems, but it's probably easier on systemd so I assume more people actually do it. I wonder if average distros take the time to harden their unit files.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You can end up with a lot of boiler plate code and with duplication you run the risk that one unit tweaks the boiler plate in a way that behaves differently. This isn't insurmountable and a lot of rc scripts source a library of common functions shared between units. However from the point of view of the executor each unit is it's own whole ball of shell script code.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

Most service scripts on my machine (Void with runit) are less than 10 lines long, and don't contain any "boiler plate" other than a shebang.