How to use the command "openrc" (with examples)

The openrc command is a service manager that is used to control the runlevels and start or stop services on a Linux system. It is commonly used in Gentoo Linux distributions. This article will illustrate two use cases of the openrc command.

Use case 1: Change to a specific runlevel

Code:

sudo openrc runlevel_name

Motivation:

Changing to a specific runlevel can be useful when you want to switch between different system configurations. For example, you may want to change to a runlevel optimized for maintenance tasks, or switch back to a runlevel focused on normal system operations.

Explanation:

• sudo: The sudo command allows the user to run the following command with administrative privileges.
• openrc: The openrc command is the service manager.
• runlevel_name: This argument specifies the runlevel to switch to. Runlevels are numbered or named configurations that determine which services are started or stopped.

Example output:

Switching to runlevel maintenance...

Use case 2: Change to a specific runlevel without stopping services

Code:

sudo openrc --no-stop runlevel_name

Motivation:

Changing to a specific runlevel without stopping any existing services can be useful when you want to switch between runlevels without disrupting any running services or processes. This may be necessary when you want to perform maintenance tasks while keeping critical services online.

Explanation:

• sudo: The sudo command allows the user to run the following command with administrative privileges.
• openrc: The openrc command is the service manager.
• --no-stop: This argument tells the openrc command not to stop any running services when switching to the specified runlevel.
• runlevel_name: This argument specifies the runlevel to switch to. Runlevels are numbered or named configurations that determine which services are started or stopped.

Example output:

Switching to runlevel maintenance without stopping any services...

Conclusion:

The openrc command provides a powerful way to manage services and switch between runlevels on a Linux system. By using the openrc command with the appropriate arguments, you can easily control which services are started or stopped, and switch between different system configurations efficiently.