Systemd 260 Drops SysV Init Support in Major Cleanup Update

Systemd 260 has officially arrived, delivering one of the most significant changes in recent releases. This version focuses on modernizing the ecosystem by removing outdated components, increasing baseline requirements, and introducing new infrastructure for contemporary Linux environments.

One of the biggest changes is the complete removal of support for System V init scripts. Tools such as systemd-sysv-generator, systemd-sysv-install, and rc-local.service have been eliminated, marking the end of compatibility with legacy init systems. Any software or system still depending on SysV scripts must transition to native systemd unit files to remain functional.

The release also raises minimum system requirements. The baseline Linux kernel is now version 5.10, with newer kernels recommended for full feature support. Key dependencies have been updated as well, including glibc 2.34, OpenSSL 3.0, and Python 3.9.

A major new feature in Systemd 260 is “mstack,” which introduces a structured way to define overlayfs and bind mount configurations. This allows applications and containers to be deployed from self-contained directories that fully describe their runtime setup.

Accompanying this is a new command-line utility, systemd-mstack, designed to manage and interact with mstack configurations directly.

Another notable addition is a new metrics and reporting framework. System components can now expose structured data via Varlink endpoints located under /run/systemd/report/. This data can be collected using the systemd-report tool in JSON format, providing a consistent method for gathering system-level insights.

Varlink continues to expand as an inter-process communication mechanism in this release. Enhancements include a service discovery registry and additional Varlink interfaces that mirror existing D-Bus functionality, further integrating it into the system.

Power management has also been refined. The logind service now returns more detailed state information to better reflect inhibitor conditions, which may require updates in desktop environments and related utilities. Additional improvements include new unit configuration options such as BindNetworkInterface= and MemoryTHP=, along with better handling of user namespaces.

Networking capabilities have been extended through systemd-networkd, with more configuration flexibility and new integration with ModemManager, enabling direct management of cellular connections.

Finally, Systemd 260 improves container and image workflows. Enhancements to OCI image handling and new options in tools like systemd-nspawn and systemd-vmspawn align with the newly introduced mstack concept.

For complete details, refer to the official changelog.