sysvinit VS systemd

• Simplicity
  SysVinit is known for its straightforward and simple design, making it easier to understand and manage for system administrators who are familiar with its traditional approach.
• Mature and Stable
  SysVinit has been around for a long time, which means it is well-tested and stable. Many of its behaviors are well-documented, and there is a wealth of community knowledge available.
• Compatibility
  Due to its long history, SysVinit is compatible with a wide range of Unix-like operating systems, making it a reliable choice for legacy systems.
• Flexibility
  SysVinit allows users to write custom scripts for managing services, offering flexibility for specialized needs or environments.

Possible disadvantages

• Lack of Parallelization
  SysVinit does not natively support starting services in parallel, which can lead to longer boot times as it starts services sequentially.
• Complexity in Large Setups
  Even though SysVinit is simple, managing a large number of startup scripts can become complex and unwieldy as configurations grow.
• Limited Dependency Handling
  SysVinit has a limited ability to handle dependencies between services, potentially resulting in issues during system startup if services are started in the wrong order.
• Manual Configuration
  SysVinit requires more manual intervention to manage services, which can be time-consuming compared to more automated solutions like systemd.

• Fast Boot Times
  systemd can significantly reduce boot times compared to traditional init systems due to its parallelization capabilities, dependency-based booting, and services starting only when needed.
• Unified Management
  It provides a unified framework for service management across various Linux distributions, simplifying the administration tasks as most commands and configurations remain consistent.
• Socket Activation
  Services can be started on-demand using socket activation, which can save resources by only starting services when actually needed.
• Logging and Monitoring
  systemd integrates with journald for logging, providing a centralized and structured logging mechanism that makes it easier to track system events and diagnose problems.
• Service Dependency Management
  By managing service dependencies, systemd ensures that services start in the correct order and can restart services that fail or get stopped unexpectedly.

Possible disadvantages

• Complexity
  systemd is more complex than traditional init systems, which can make it more challenging to learn and troubleshoot, especially for newcomers or those accustomed to simpler systems.
• Monolithic Design
  Critics argue that systemd attempts to do too much, integrating multiple components and functionalities under one umbrella, which goes against the UNIX philosophy of 'doing one thing and doing it well.'
• Compatibility Issues
  Older scripts and software that rely on traditional init systems might face compatibility issues or require modifications to work with systemd.
• Performance Overhead
  Although generally optimized for performance, the additional features and logging can lead to performance overhead compared to simpler init systems.
• Community Division
  The adoption of systemd has been controversial, leading to divisions in some open-source communities, with some users and developers preferring alternatives like OpenRC or runit.

openrc vs sysvinit reboot time on Slackware Virtual Machines

Demystifying systemd

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• Distro balls

  It's a plus because Gentoo fully supports the choice of Systemd or OpenRC. It also has minit, dumb-init, sysvinit, cinit in tree for the more adventurous. No one was calling the AUR bloat, the parent comment just mentions that Gentoo has... Source: about 4 years ago

Tracking systemd since Mar 2021.