FS#70385 - [base] Remove hard dependency on systemd-sysvcompat

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Hendrik (Hendrikto) - Friday, 09 April 2021, 13:24 GMT
Last edited by Doug Newgard (Scimmia) - Friday, 09 April 2021, 13:30 GMT
Task Type Feature Request
Category Packages: Core
Status Closed
Assigned To No-one
Architecture All
Severity Low
Priority Normal
Reported Version
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 0
Private No

Details

I do not think it makes sense for `base` to have a hard dependency on `systemd-sysvcompat`. The old init systemd and service management has been replaced with systemd a long time ago.

To be clear: The proposal is not to remove `systemd-sysvcompat` entirely, but simply to make it an optional dependency instead of a hard one.

`systemd-sysvcompat` provides two things:

1. compatibility with `init` through a symlink to `/usr/lib/systemd/systemd`
2. compatibility with `halt`, `poweroff`, `reboot`, and `shutdown` through symlinks to `/usr/bin/systemctl`

Addressing those two features is relatively straightforward:

1. The init symlink is not needed if one sets the `init` kernel parameter (`init=/usr/lib/systemd/systemd`). This should be mentioned in the install instructions.
2. `systemctl` can just be used directly. We would need to update scripts that still use `halt`, `poweroff`, `reboot`, and `shutdown` directly, if there are any.

Users who wish to continue using the old commands have several easy migration paths:

* Users who upgrade an existing installation have to do nothing. By making the package an optional dependency, it would stay installed by default. One would have to explicitly remove it if desired.
* Users who install Arch after this change can choose one of several easy options:
1. Install `systemd-sysvcompat`, which would be easily discoverable if made an optional dependency.
2. Create aliases
3. Manually create symlinks
This task depends upon

Closed by  Doug Newgard (Scimmia)
Friday, 09 April 2021, 13:30 GMT
Reason for closing:  Duplicate
Additional comments about closing:   FS#64071   FS#66970 

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