From OpenRC to SystemD

#linux #gentoolinux #systemd

Why I stopped using OpenRC

I have been using OpenRC in my Gentoo installation for almost two years, although it's claimed as the “Minimalist”, “OG” init system, there are many reasons that it is not a good one anymore.

  1. the lacking of user session management makes running user-daemons complicated and in-efficient.
  2. almost no documentation after 2 years of waiting

After trying out systemD in my many other linux boxes, I have decided that the orthodox init system is not bad anymore, (or maybe it never has been), and I have to switch to this.

update

First impressions

Some advantages are obvious:

  1. Built in time management, so I don't have to use one that often breaks
  2. User sessions
  3. Easy to install service files
  4. Built in log management, so I don't have to use logratate, configure syslog-ng and stuff.

The bloat doesn't really affect me, since I'm on Gentoo, where I have control over what part of the software should be compiled. And the “memory issue” doesn't seem to happen to me.

The migration only took about an afternoon, nothing too complicated, just follow the Gentoo wiki.


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