doc: clarify what is required for moving from runlevel S to 2

All run/tasks must complete before Finit moves to runlevel 2.  This
critical piece of information has mysteriously been missing from the
documentation since the start.

Signed-off-by: Joachim Wiberg <troglobit@gmail.com>
This commit is contained in:
Joachim Wiberg committed 2025-03-27 10:23:11 +01:00
1 parent 994e51e34f
commit 84fd3196b0
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+37 -22
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@@ -201,6 +201,18 @@ order, and `swapoff` is called.
### Runlevels
Finit supports runlevels, but unlike other init systems runlevels are
declared per service/run/task/sysv command. When booting up a system
Finit pass through three phases:
1. Setting up the console, parsing any command line options, and other
housekeeping tasks like mounting all filesystems, and calling `fsck`
2. Starting all run/task/services in runlevel S, then waiting for all
services to have started, and all run/tasks to have completed
3. Go to runlevel 2, or whatever the user has set in the configuration
Available runlevels:
- ` S`: bootStrap
- ` 1`: Single user mode
- `2-5`: traditional multi-user mode
@@ -208,31 +220,33 @@ order, and `swapoff` is called.
- `7-9`: multi-user mode (extra)
- ` 0`: shutdown
Runlevels are declared per service/run/task/sysv command. Starting in
runlevel S (bootStrap), usually only for tasks supposed to run once at
boot, and services like `syslogd`, which you need to start and run
throughout the whole time your system is up.
Runlevel S (bootStrap), is for tasks supposed to run once at boot, and
services like `syslogd`, which need to start early and run throughout
the lifetime of your system.
Before `S` is started, however, Finit performs a lot of housekeeping
tasks like mounting all filesystems, calling `fsck` if needed, and
making sure the everything is OK.
Example:
task [S] /lib/console-setup/console-setup.sh
service [S12345] env:-/etc/default/rsyslog rsyslogd -n $RSYSLOGD_ARGS
After runlevel S, Finit proceeds to runlevel 2. This can be changed in
`/etc/finit.conf` using the `runlevel N` directive, or by a script
running in runlevel S that calls, e.g., `initctl runlevel 9`. The
latter is useful if startup scripts detect problems outside of Finit's
control, e.g., critical services/devices missing or hardware problems.
When bootstrap has completed, Finit moves to runlevel 2. This can be
changed in `/etc/finit.conf` using the `runlevel N` directive, or by a
script running in runlevel S that calls, e.g., `initctl runlevel 9`.
The latter is useful if startup scripts detect problems outside of
Finit's control, e.g., critical services/devices missing or hardware
problems.
Before starting the services in runlevel 2, Finit first stops everything
that is not allowed to run in 2, and then brings up networking.
Networking is expected to be available in all runlevels except: S, 1
(single user level), 6, and 0. Networking is enabled either by the
`network script` directive, or if you have an `/etc/network/interfaces`
file, Finit calls `ifup -a` -- at the very least the loopback interface
is brought up.
Each runlevel must be allowed to "complete". Meaning, all services in
runlevel S must have started and all run/tasks have been started and
collected (exited). Finit waits 120 seconds for all run/tasks in S to
complete before proceeding to 2.
Finit first stops everything that is not allowed to run in 2, and then
brings up networking. Networking is expected to be available in all
runlevels except: S, 1 (single user level), 6, and 0. Networking is
enabled either by the `network script` directive, or if you have an
`/etc/network/interfaces` file, Finit calls `ifup -a` -- at the very
least the loopback interface is brought up.
> [!NOTE]
> When moving from runlevel S to 2, all run/task/services that were
@@ -651,9 +665,10 @@ stanzas can share the same rlimits if they are in the same .conf.
**Syntax:** `runlevel <N>`
The system runlevel to go to after bootstrap (S) has completed. `N`
is the runlevel number 0-9, where 6 is reserved for reboot and 0 for
halt.
The system runlevel to go to after bootstrap (S) has completed. `N` is
the runlevel number 0-9, where 6 is reserved for reboot and 0 for halt.
Completed in this context means all services have been started and all
run/tasks have been started and collected.
It is recommended to keep runlevel 1 as single-user mode, because
Finit disables networking in this mode.