Linux Init
What Is Init in Linux, and Why Does It Matter? Imagine you’re turning on your Linux machine. It starts whirring to life, launching services and preparing everything for you to work, but have you ever wondered who’s pulling the strings? This is where “init” (short for initialisation ) comes in, acting as the conductor behind the scenes that brings every component to life in harmony. Init is the very first process that your Linux system launches, and its job is to make sure that every other critical service follows suit, all in the right order. In this article, you’ll uncover what init really does, from booting your system to managing processes, along with the unique features of different init systems like systemd, OpenRC, and runit. By the end, you’ll see why understanding init can be a game-changer for troubleshooting and optimising your Linux experience. The Role of Init in Linux Booting Init is the bedrock of a Linux system’s startup process. Launched by the kernel as process ID (PID...