man/systemd-volatile-root.service.xml

   1 <?xml version="1.0"?>
   2 <!--*-nxml-*-->
   3 <!DOCTYPE refentry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
   4   "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.2/docbookx.dtd">
   5 <!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1+ -->
   6 <refentry id="systemd-volatile-root.service">
   7
   8   <refentryinfo>
   9     <title>systemd-volatile-root.service</title>
  10     <productname>systemd</productname>
  11   </refentryinfo>
  12
  13   <refmeta>
  14     <refentrytitle>systemd-volatile-root.service</refentrytitle>
  15     <manvolnum>8</manvolnum>
  16   </refmeta>
  17
  18   <refnamediv>
  19     <refname>systemd-volatile-root.service</refname>
  20     <refname>systemd-volatile-root</refname>
  21     <refpurpose>Make the root file system volatile</refpurpose>
  22   </refnamediv>
  23
  24   <refsynopsisdiv>
  25     <para><filename>systemd-volatile-root.service</filename></para>
  26     <para><filename>/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-volatile-root</filename></para>
  27   </refsynopsisdiv>
  28
  29   <refsect1>
  30     <title>Description</title>
  31
  32     <para><filename>systemd-volatile-root.service</filename> is a service that replaces the root directory with a
  33     volatile memory file system (<literal>tmpfs</literal>), mounting the original (non-volatile)
  34     <filename>/usr</filename> inside it read-only. This way, vendor data from <filename>/usr</filename> is available as
  35     usual, but all configuration data in <filename>/etc</filename>, all state data in <filename>/var</filename> and all
  36     other resources stored directly under the root directory are reset on boot and lost at shutdown, enabling fully
  37     stateless systems.</para>
  38
  39     <para>This service is only enabled if full volatile mode is selected, for example by specifying
  40     <literal>systemd.volatile=yes</literal> on the kernel command line. This service runs only in the initial RAM disk
  41     ("initrd"), before the system transitions to the host's root directory. Note that this service is not used if
  42     <literal>systemd.volatile=state</literal> is used, as in that mode the root directory is non-volatile.</para>
  43   </refsect1>
  44
  45   <refsect1>
  46     <title>See Also</title>
  47     <para>
  48       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
  49       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd-fstab-generator</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>,
  50       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>kernel-command-line</refentrytitle><manvolnum>7</manvolnum></citerefentry>
  51     </para>
  52   </refsect1>
  53
  54 </refentry>