Explore the world of systemd—yes, all lower-case, even at the beginning of a sentence— which is the modern replacement for init and SystemV init scripts. It is also much more. It can evoke a wide range of reactions from SysAdmins and others responsible for keeping Linux systems up and running. The fact that systemd is taking over so many tasks in modern Linux systems has engendered push-back and discord among certain groups of developers and SysAdmins.

You will learn systemd’s strengths and weaknesses, and why there’s no truth in the myth that systemd is a monolithic monstrosity.Learn how systemd is the mother of all processes, and is responsible for bringing the Linux host up to a state in which productive work can be done. You’ll learn about the functions assumed by systemd, which is far more extensive than the old init program, and how it manages many aspects of a running Linux host, including: