OS Manuals

/usr/bin/init

The systemd System and Service Manager

From systemd 262.2-r1 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running init --help (exit 0). permalink

> systemd [OPTION…]

Start and monitor system and user services.

Options:
  -h --help                      Show this help
     --version                   Show package version
     --test                      Determine initial transaction, dump it and exit
     --system                    Combined with --test: operate in system mode
     --user                      Combined with --test: operate in user mode
     --dump-configuration-items  Dump understood unit configuration items
     --dump-bus-properties       Dump exposed bus properties
     --bus-introspect=PATH       Write XML introspection data
     --unit=UNIT                 Set default unit
     --dump-core[=BOOL]          Dump core on crash
     --crash-chvt=NR             Change to specified VT on crash
     --crash-action=ACTION       Specify what to do on crash
     --crash-shell[=BOOL]        Run shell on crash
     --confirm-spawn[=BOOL]      Ask for confirmation when spawning processes
     --show-status[=BOOL]        Show status updates on the console during boot
     --log-target=TARGET         Set log target (console, journal, kmsg, journal-or-kmsg, null)
     --log-level=LEVEL           Set log level (debug, info, notice, warning, err, crit, alert,
                                 emerg)
     --log-color[=BOOL]          Highlight important log messages
     --log-location[=BOOL]       Include code location in log messages
     --log-time[=BOOL]           Prefix log messages with current time
     --default-standard-output=… Set default standard output for services
     --default-standard-error=…  Set default standard error output for services
     --no-pager                  Do not start a pager

See the systemd(1) man page for details.
Options (22)
OptionDescriptionSource
-h --helpShow this helphelp
--versionShow package versionhelp
--testDetermine initial transaction, dump it and exithelp
--systemCombined with --test: operate in system modehelp
--userCombined with --test: operate in user modehelp
--dump-configuration-itemsDump understood unit configuration itemshelp
--dump-bus-propertiesDump exposed bus propertieshelp
--bus-introspect PATHWrite XML introspection datahelp
--unit UNITSet default unithelp
--dump-core BOOLDump core on crashhelp
--crash-chvt NRChange to specified VT on crashhelp
--crash-action ACTIONSpecify what to do on crashhelp
--crash-shell BOOLRun shell on crashhelp
--confirm-spawn BOOLAsk for confirmation when spawning processeshelp
--show-status BOOLShow status updates on the console during boothelp
--log-target TARGETSet log target (console, journal, kmsg, journal-or-kmsg, null)help
--log-level LEVELSet log level (debug, info, notice, warning, err, crit, alert, emerg)help
--log-color BOOLHighlight important log messageshelp
--log-location BOOLInclude code location in log messageshelp
--log-time BOOLPrefix log messages with current timehelp
--default-standard-error …Set default standard error output for serviceshelp
--no-pagerDo not start a pagerhelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.