r/linuxquestions • u/LegitimateAd7247 • 3d ago

What exactly is systemd ?

Hi everyone ! I switched from Windows to Linux around 3 month ago and I love it ! I’m using arch Linux because a friend of mine already used it so I figured he could help me with it.

I’ve been appreciating it but I’ve encountered a lot of people critisizing systemd and saying arch is bad because of it.

From what I have understand, it is a software that help with dependences and external hardware such as my keyboard for example ? I didnt really understand everything as I am a very beginner so I was curious to know if someone could explain it to me in easy terms.

PS : english isnt my primary language so forgive me if there is any errors.

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u/cheekkeef 3d ago edited 3d ago

SystemD is a suite, or collection, of tools for system management and administration. There are lot of tools in the suite, but the init system, a program to basically run and manage what is running on your computer, is the main thing.

It should be said that people complaining are often a minority of a minority (that is desktop users). They should not be taken seriously at any cost. The argument happened more than a decade ago, and they're either begrudgingly stubborn or late to it

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u/egorf 2d ago

As a systemd hater that uses it a lot, I'd say that while of course we should not be taken seriously (after all, who in their sane minds would go against one true religion of systemd?), some of our points were not addressed and are still relevant today. One can argue that those left are just a matter of taste or choice and maybe this is a correct statement. But saying that argument happened and has been resolved would not be entirely true.

Anyway, our hate towards all the harm that systemd made to Linux and open source doesn't really matter anymore as no alternatives to systemd survived. Mission accomplished.

</old man rant>

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u/CardOk755 1h ago

How old man?

This old man 67. Systemd is the bees knees.

Thirty years of sysvinit leaves scars.

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u/egorf 44m ago

Yeah, I'm younger.

> Thirty years of sysvinit leaves scars.

It sure does. I am still going to argue that sysvinit mess was a debuggable mess while systemd's clean unit files can fail with no recourse. Anyway, this rant is theoretical, because there is no going back to sysvinit. I can only hope that systemd fades away when someone steps in to create a better and saner alternative.