FastRC

A simple to configure and fast init system.

What is FastRC?

FastRC is a Linux init system like systemd, runit, OpenRC etc. It is the first thing that Linux runs after it switches to userspace.

Why FastRC?

FastRC is blazing-fast and a piece of cake to setup in your linux distro. FastRC is also super lightweight.

How to compile FastRC?

1. Installing Tools

For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

sudo apt install gcc make libncurses-dev binutils

For Arch-based systems:

sudo pacman -S gcc make ncurses binutils

2. Configuring

After downloading the source code, to configure it:

make menuconfig

This will bring up a TUI for you to customize your init.

3. Compiling

After configuring, to compile it:

make

How to implement FastRC?

1. Copying

Copy everything inside output/ into your initrd's /sbin folder, example:

cp output/* ../your-linux-initrd/sbin

2. Configuring

While inside your initrd's /etc folder, make a folder for FastRC:

mkdir fastrc

Now create an inittab (/etc/fastrc/inittab) like this:

# Example inittab for FastRC
# Main script/program
sysinit=/etc/fastrc/rcS
# Script/program that runs before poweroff
poweroff=/etc/fastrc/poweroff
# Script/program that runs before reboot
reboot=/etc/fastrc/poweroff
# Script/program that runs for ctrl+alt+del
ctrlaltdel=/sbin/reboot
# Script/program that runs forever
respawn=/bin/getty tty0

Then, create a configuration file (/etc/fastrc/conf) like this:

# Example configuration for FastRC
# Verbose messages (1 to enable, 0 to disable)
verbose=0

While inside your initrd's root (/) just link FastRC to /init

ln -s sbin/fastrc init

Congrats, you have put FastRC to your linux distro! It should look like this:

initrd
├── etc/
│   └── fastrc/
│       ├── inittab
│       └── conf
├── sbin/
│   ├── fastrc
│   ├── fastctl
│   ├── poweroff -> symlink to fastctl
├── └── reboot -> symlink to fastctl
└── init -> symlink to sbin/fastrc