Choosing an Init System on Artix Linux: OpenRC, runit, s6, or dinit

Problem: Want Arch‑like rolling releases without systemd

Many users appreciate Arch’s rolling‑release model, access to the AUR, and the vast binary repository, but they prefer not to run systemd as PID 1. The challenge is to keep full Arch compatibility while swapping out the init system.

Thesis: Artix lets you pick OpenRC, runit, s6, or dinit as PID 1 while keeping full Arch compatibility

Artix Linux provides official ISO images that can boot with any of those four init systems. The choice is made either by a kernel parameter at boot or by installing the corresponding meta‑package and enabling the service manager. Despite a different PID 1, Artix retains access to the standard Arch repositories and the pacman package manager; the artix-archlinux-support repository supplies compatibility packages that replace systemd‑dependent units with init‑agnostic alternatives.

How the choice works

At boot time you can add init=/usr/bin/openrc-init, init=/usr/bin/runit, init=/usr/bin/s6-svscan, or init=/usr/bin/dinit to the kernel command line. After installation, the meta‑packages artix-openrc, artix-runit, artix-s6, and artix-dinit pull in the selected init and the artix-base meta‑package ensures the correct service manager is enabled. The artix-archlinux-support repo must be enabled in /etc/pacman.conf so that packages that would otherwise pull systemd dependencies are replaced with compatible versions.

Worked example: Switching to runit on an installed system

1. Install the runit meta‑package and its dependencies:

   sudo pacman -S artix-runit

2. Enable the runit service manager (this creates the necessary symlinks for PID 1):

   sudo ln -sf /usr/bin/runit /sbin/init

3. Update the bootloader entry to use the kernel parameter init=/usr/bin/runit. For GRUB, edit /etc/default/grub and add the parameter to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT, then run sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
4. Reboot the system.
5. After reboot, verify the active init:

   ps -p 1 -o comm=

   The output should be runit.
6. Optionally, confirm that pacman still works without pulling systemd:

   sudo pacman -S vim
   pacman -Qi vim | grep 'Depends On'

   Check that no systemd packages appear in the dependency list.

Trade‑off: maintenance overhead

Switching init systems after installation may require manual adjustment of service files and bootloader entries. Not all third‑party packages provide native units for every init, so some services might need custom scripts or reliance on the compatibility layer. Because Artix replaces systemd‑specific components with its own packages, occasional updates to Arch packages that assume systemd can lag behind; users should monitor the Artix‑specific news or forums for workarounds.

Actionable closing

To start experimenting, download the Artix ISO that matches your preferred init, install it, and follow the verification steps above. Keep the artix-archlinux-support repository enabled, and after any major Arch update, check the Artix announcements for any needed adjustments. This approach gives you the Arch ecosystem with the init system that best fits your workflow.