New systemd-boot Integration in openSUSE
There are several changes happening in openSUSE’s rolling release Tumbleweed on a daily basis and integrating systemd-boot into has been evolving.
A shift from the traditional GRUB boot loader is promising better system boot performance and security.
An all-systems-go presentation by Ludwig Nussel sheds some light on the motivations, challenges and future direction of systemd-boot integration in openSUSE.
The primary motivation behind adopting systemd-boot lies in its simplicity and efficiency, especially when handling full-disk encryption. Traditional boot loaders like GRUB require embedding decryption code and key derivation functions that can complicate the boot loader code and the boot process; this could slow down the system at startup. With systemd-boot, these responsibilities are delegated to the Linux Kernel and user space, which helps to streamline the boot process.
Linuxiac:
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openSUSE Tumbleweed Integrates systemd-boot
In today’s announcement from the openSUSE team, the rolling release Tumbleweed is undergoing a significant change as it integrates systemd-boot, thus promising enhancements in system boot performance and security.
According to openSUSE, the primary driver for adopting systemd-boot is its simplicity and efficiency, particularly when managing systems with full-disk encryption. Here’s what it’s all about.
Unlike GRUB, which embeds complex decryption and key derivation functions directly into the boot loader – potentially slowing down system startup – systemd-boot simplifies this process. It delegates decryption and other tasks to the Linux kernel and user space, aiming to make the boot process faster and more streamlined.