diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index ca71a963..20739dde 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -27,36 +27,31 @@ Introduction Init is the first process to run once a UNIX kernel has booted, it always has PID 1 and is responsible for starting up the rest of the -system. Finit is a very small plugin based init with built in -[process supervision](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_supervision) -similar to that of D.J. Bernstein's -[daemontools](http://cr.yp.to/daemontools.html) and Gerrit Pape's -[runit](http://smarden.org/runit/). The focus of Finit is on small and -embedded GNU/Linux systems, although it is fully functional for standard -server and desktop installations as well. +system. Finit is plugin-based with built in [process supervision][1] +similar to that of D.J. Bernstein's [daemontools][2] and Gerrit Pape's +[runit][3]. The main focus of Finit is on small and embedded GNU/Linux +systems, yet fully functional on standard server and desktop +installations as well. -Finit has a low overhead because it is written entirely in C. System -setup, otherwise commonly done with scripts, is instead done using a -slimmed down set of system calls directly to the C-library. As soon as -basic setup is done, Finit launches services in parllel and monitor them -continouosuly, i.e. automatically restart them if they fail. +Traditional [SysV init][4] style systems are scripted. For low-resource +embedded systems this can be quite resource intensive and cause longer +boot times. Finit is optimized to reduce context switches and forking +of processes to provide a very basic bootstrap written entirely in C. +Hence, there is no `/etc/init.d/rcS` script, or similar, but instead a +human-readable `/etc/finit.conf`. This file details what kernel modules +to load, programs to run and daemons to supervise. -Alls services can have callbacks that are called before a service is -(re)started. For instance, before attempting to start a heavily -resource intensive service like IPsec or OpenVPN, a callback can check -if the outbound interface is up and has an IP address, or just check if -the service is disabled -- much like what a SysV init start script -usually does. +The command line arguments given in `/etc/finit.conf` to each service +provide a default. Each service can register callbacks, using plugins, +to override and modify the behavior to suit the current runlevel and +system configuration. For instance, before starting a heavily resource +intensive service like IPsec or OpenVPN, a callback can check if the +outbound interface is up and has an IP address, or just check if the +service is disabled -- much like what a SysV init start script usually +does. -To extend finit with new functionality, hooks in the bootstrap phase can -be added that execute in sequence, useful for satisfying preconditions -or for synchronization purposes. Functionality can also be added with -plugins, the initctl compatibility plugin that comes with finit is one -such plugin. - -Finit is not only fast, it's arguably one of the easiest to get started -with. A complete system can be booted with one simple configuration -file, `/etc/finit.conf`, see below for syntax and examples. +See [TroglOS][9] for an example of how to boot a small embedded system +with Finit. Features @@ -68,12 +63,19 @@ Start, monitor and restart services if they fail. **Runlevels** -Finit supports standard runlevels if you want, but you don't need them -for simple installations. +Runlevels is optional in Finit, but support for [SysV runlevels][5] is +available if needed. All services in runlevel S(1) are started first, +followed by the desired run-time runlevel. Runlevel S can be started in +sequence by using `run [S] cmd`. Changing runlevels at runtime is done +like any other init, e.g. init 4. **Plugins** -Extend and modify finit behavior. See examples in plugins/ directory. +Finit plugins can be either *boot hooks* into different stages of the +boot process or *service callbacks*, or both. A basic set of plugins +that extend and modify the basic behavior are bundled. See examples in +the `plugins/` directory. + Plugin capabilities: * Service callbacks -- modify service arguments, run/restart/stop @@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ Plugin capabilities: * Hooks -- hook into the boot at predefined points to extend finit * I/O -- listen to external events and control finit behavior/services -Extensions and functionality not purely related to what an /sbin/init +Extensions and functionality not purely related to what an `/sbin/init` needs to start a system are available as a set of plugins that either hook into the boot process or respond to various I/O. @@ -89,12 +91,11 @@ hook into the boot process or respond to various I/O. /etc/finit.conf --------------- -Contrary to most other script based init alternatives -([SysV init](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Init), -[upstart](http://upstart.ubuntu.com/), -[systemd](http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/), -[OpenRC](http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/openrc/) and the likes) -finit reads its configuration from `/etc/finit.conf`. Syntax: +Contrary to most other script based init alternatives ([SysV init][4], +[upstart][6], [systemd][7], [OpenRC][8], etc.) Finit reads its entire +configuration from `/etc/finit.conf`. + +Syntax: * `check ` @@ -158,8 +159,8 @@ finit reads its configuration from `/etc/finit.conf`. Syntax: and wait for the user to activate the console with a key press before starting getty. -When running `make install` no default `/etc/finit.conf` will be -provided since the system requirements differ too much. Try out the +When running make install no default `/etc/finit.conf` will +be installed since system requirements differ too much. Try out the Debian 6.0 example `/usr/share/doc/finit/finit.conf` configuration that is capable of service monitoring SSH, sysklogd, gdm and a console getty! @@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ commands and TTYs listed without a set of runlevels get a default set `[234]` assigned. The default runlevel after boot is 2. To specify an allowed set of runlevels for a `service`, `run` command, `task`, -or `tty`, add `[NNN]` to it in your `finit.conf`, like this: +or `tty`, add `[NNN]` to it in your `/etc/finit.conf`, like this: service [S12345] /sbin/syslogd -n -x -- System log daemon run [S] /etc/init.d/acpid start -- Starting ACPI Daemon @@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ are called in the order listed and subsequent commands are not started until a run command has completed. Switching between runlevels can be done by calling init with a single -argument, e.g., `init 5` switches to runlevel 5. +argument, e.g. init 5 switches to runlevel 5. Hooks, Callbacks & Plugins @@ -385,9 +386,15 @@ what is built and where resulting binaries are installed. **Example** - $ tar xfJ finit-1.3.tar.xz - $ PLUGINS="initctl.so hwclock.so" DESTDIR=/tmp/finit/dst \ - make -C finit-1.3/ clean install +First, unpack the archive: + +$ tar xfJ finit-1.3.tar.xz + +Then build and install: + +$ PLUGINS="initctl.so hwclock.so" DESTDIR=/tmp/finit/dst \ + make -C finit-1.3/ clean install + make: Entering directory `/home/troglobit/finit-1.3' CC finit.o CC conf.o @@ -406,12 +413,10 @@ what is built and where resulting binaries are installed. INSTALL /tmp/finit/dst/lib/finit/plugins/hwclock.so make: Leaving directory `/home/troglobit/finit-1.3' -In this example the -[finit-1.3.tar.xz](ftp://troglobit.com/finit/finit-1.3.tar.xz) -archive is unpacked to the user's home directory, built and -installed to a temporary staging directory. The environment -variables `DESTDIR` and `PLUGINS` are changed to suit this -particular build. +In this example the [finit-1.3.tar.xz][10] archive is unpacked to the +user's home directory, built and installed to a temporary staging +directory. The environment variables `DESTDIR` and `PLUGINS` are +changed to suit this particular build. Running @@ -454,3 +459,13 @@ Finit is currently being developed and maintained by [GitHub](http://github.com/troglobit/finit). Please file bug reports, clone it, or send pull requests for bug fixes and proposed extensions. +[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_supervision +[2]: http://cr.yp.to/daemontools.html +[3]: http://smarden.org/runit/ +[4]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Init +[5]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runlevel +[6]: http://upstart.ubuntu.com/ +[7]: http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/ +[8]: http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/openrc/ +[9]: https://github.com/troglobit/troglos +[10]: ftp://troglobit.com/finit/finit-1.3.tar.xz