# Dinit
-v0.4.0 (pre-release)
+v0.8.2 (development release)
This is the README for Dinit, the service manager and init system. It is
intended to provide an overview; For full documentation please check the manual pages.
+The impatient may wish to check out the [getting started guide](doc/getting_started.md).
## Contents
2. [Configuring services](#configuring-services)
1. [Service types](#service-types)
2. [Service description files](#service-description-files)
-3. [Controlling services](#controlling-services)
+3. [Running Dinit](#running-dinit)
+4. [Controlling services](#controlling-services)
1. [Service hierarchy and states](#service-hierarchy-and-states)
2. [Using dinitctl](#using-dinitctl)
service, and re-start it if it dies, and it can do this in an intelligent way,
first "rolling back" all dependent services, and restarting them when their
dependencies are satisfied. However, the precise nature of dependency
-relations between services is highly configurable.
+relations between services is highly configurable. The "dinitctl" tool can
+be used to start or stop services and check their state (by issuing commands
+to the "dinit" daemon).
-Dinit includes "dinitctl", a tool to issue commands to the main Dinit
-process in order to start or stop services and check their state, as well as
-a "shutdown" program (with scripts "halt" and "reboot") to manage shutting
-down and restarting the system.
+Dinit is designed to run as either as a system service manager (runs as root,
+uses system paths for configuration etc) or a user process (runs as a user,
+uses paths in the user's home directory by default).
Dinit is designed to work on POSIXy operating systems such as Linux and
OpenBSD. It is written in C++ and uses the [Dasynq](http://davmac.org/projects/dasynq/)
Dinit discovers services by reading _service description files_. These files
reside in a directory (/etc/dinit.d is the default "system" location, with
-"/usr/local/lib/dinit.d" and "/lib/dinit.d" also searched) and their name
-matches the name of the service. Service descriptions are loaded lazily, as
-needed by Dinit.
+"/usr/local/lib/dinit.d" and "/lib/dinit.d" also searched; the default user
+location is "$HOME/dinit.d") and the name of a service description file
+matches the name of the service they configure. Service descriptions are
+loaded lazily, as needed by Dinit.
(An example of a complete set of system service descriptions can be found in
the [doc/linux/services](doc/linux/services) directory).
Please see the manual page for a full list of service parameters and options.
+## Running Dinit
+
+Dinit can run as the system "init" - the first process started by the kernel
+on boot - which is normally done by linking or copying it to `/sbin/init`.
+This is currently supported only on Linux. It requires having suitable service
+descriptions in place and should be attempted only by those comfortable
+with low-level system administration and recovery. See doc/linux directory for
+more information.
+
+Dinit can also run as a normal process, and can be started in this case by a
+regular user.
+
+By default, regardless of whether it runs as a system or user process, Dinit
+will look for and start the service named "boot". This service should be
+configured with dependencies which will cause any other desired services to
+start. You can specify alternative services to start via the `dinit` command
+line (consult the man page for more information).
## Controlling services
dinitctl stop <service-name>
dinitctl release <service-name>
-Note that a "start" markes the service active, as well as starting it if it is
+Note that a "start" marks the service active, as well as starting it if it is
not already started; the opposite of this is actually "release", which clears
the active mark and stops it if it has no active dependent services. The "stop"
-command by default acts as a "release" which also forces the service to stop
+command by default acts as a "release" that also forces the service to stop
(although it may then immediately restart, depending on how it and its
dependents are configured).
-Use the "-s" switch to talk the "system" instance of Dinit, rather than a
-personal instance, e.g:
+If stopping a service would also require a dependent service to stop, a warning
+will be issued and the `--force` option will be required.
+
+When run as root, dinitctl (by default) communicates with the system instance of
+Dinit. Otherwise, it communicates with a user (personal) instance. This can be
+overridden (using "-u" or "-s" for the user or system instance, respectively), but
+note that regular users will generally lack the required permission to communicate
+with the system instance.
+
+Here is an example command for starting a service:
- dinitctl -s start mysql # start system mysql service
+ dinitctl start mysql # start mysql service
For complete details on the command line, use:
it from changing state either due to a dependency/dependent or a direct
command:
- dinitctl -s start --pin mysql # start mysql service, pin it as "started"
- dinitctl -s stop mysql # issues stop, but doesn't take effect due to pin
- dinitctl -s unpin mysql # release pin; service will now stop
+ dinitctl start --pin mysql # start mysql service, pin it as "started"
+ dinitctl stop mysql # issues stop, but doesn't take effect due to pin
+ dinitctl unpin mysql # release pin; service will now stop
You can pin a service in the stopped state in order to make sure it doesn't
get started accidentally (either via a dependency or directly). You can also
Finally, you can list the state of all loaded services:
- dinitctl -s list
+ dinitctl list
This may result in something like the following:
projects / oweals / dinit.git / blobdiff