euri-iso/docs/dinit.md

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Dinit	default	Init Systems	2

Dinit

Dinit is a modern init system designed for speed and correctness. Written in C++, it focuses on parallel service startup and dependency management without the bloat of systemd or the complexity of S6. Dinit is the default init system in Antergos NeXT.

Dinit's design philosophy is to be a "better than OpenRC but simpler than S6" middle ground. It handles dependencies automatically (like systemd) but stays out of your way (like OpenRC). Services are defined in declarative config files, not shell scripts.

Key concepts

Concept	What it means
Service files	Declarative .conf files in /etc/dinit.d/
Dependencies	Automatic — Dinit figures out start order from depends-on directives
Parallel startup	Very fast — starts services concurrently wherever possible
Process supervision	Optional — can restart crashed services if type = process

Basic commands

# Start a service
dinitctl start sshd

# Stop a service
dinitctl stop sshd

# Enable at boot
dinitctl enable sshd

# Disable at boot
dinitctl disable sshd

# Check status
dinitctl status sshd

# List all services
dinitctl list

Example service file

/etc/dinit.d/sshd.conf:

type = process
command = /usr/bin/sshd -D
depends-on = dbus
depends-on = network

Where services live

• System services: /etc/dinit.d/ (config) — enabled via symlinks in /etc/dinit.d/boot.d/
• User services: similar structure under user's config directory (for dinit-user-serve)
• Boot-enabling: dinitctl enable <service> creates a symlink in boot.d/

Service files use a simple key-value syntax. The type can be:

• process — supervised (auto-restart on crash)
• scripted — runs and completes (one-shot tasks)
• internal — handled internally by dinit

Common tasks

Enable a service at boot

dinitctl enable sshd

Alternatively, create a symlink manually:

ln -s /etc/dinit.d/sshd /etc/dinit.d/boot.d/

Check what's running

dinitctl list

View logs

Dinit itself doesn't handle logging. Services log to syslog or their own log files under /var/log/. Use less /var/log/messages or check per-service log directories.

Comparison with OpenRC

	OpenRC	Dinit
Service format	Shell scripts	Declarative config
Dependencies	Manual (need/use)	Automatic
Speed	Fast	Very fast (more parallel)
Complexity	Low	Medium
Supervision	No built-in	Optional

Troubleshooting

Service fails to start

Check the service file syntax first:

dinitctl start sshd
# If it fails, check:
cat /var/log/messages | grep dinit

Make sure all depends-on services are available (even if not enabled — dinit will start them as dependencies).

"boot" service file missing

Dinit's add_user_svc_dinit in Calamares attempts to create boot.d/ symlinks but does not create a boot service file. This is a known upstream limitation. Workaround: ensure services are enabled via dinitctl enable after install, or use the init-specific package handling in Calamares.

pipewire doesn't start

On Antergos NeXT, artix-pipewire-launcher is patched to support dinit. If pipewire isn't starting, verify the launcher script at /usr/bin/artix-pipewire-launcher includes dinit in its supported init list. The XDG autostart entry at /etc/xdg/autostart/pipewire.desktop handles starting pipewire on login.

Should you use it?

Pick Dinit if:

• You want the fastest possible boot
• You like declarative config (INI-like syntax)
• You want automatic dependency resolution
• You're fine with a newer, actively developed init system

Stick with OpenRC if you prefer shell scripts and a longer track record.

Learn more

• Dinit GitHub
• Dinit documentation
• Artix Dinit page