According to TheRegister.com, systemd 259-rc1 is the first preview release of the next version of Linux’s most widely used system and service manager. The update introduces preliminary support for musl libc, the lightweight alternative to GNU’s glibc used by Alpine Linux, Adélie Linux, and Void Linux. This change was driven by postmarketOS developers who need systemd compatibility for their smartphone revival project. Red Hat’s Zbigniew Jędrzejewski-Szmek merged the musl support code, but the implementation comes with significant functional restrictions. Alpine and Postmarket developer Achill Gilgenast acknowledged the limitations while expressing hope for future improvements. The release candidate also includes updates to the OOM killer, Varlink protocol support, and systemd-boot requirements, with systemd 259 expected in Ubuntu and Fedora spring releases.
The complicated reality of musl support
Here’s the thing about this musl support – it’s not exactly a full-throated endorsement. The developers are being very careful to note that this is preliminary and comes with “significant functional restrictions.” Basically, they’re letting Alpine-based distros like postmarketOS compile systemd, but not guaranteeing everything will work perfectly. And that’s kind of the story of systemd in a nutshell, isn’t it? It keeps expanding its reach, but sometimes the integration feels a bit forced.
What’s interesting is why this matters. Musl is the C library used by lightweight distros that prioritize simplicity and small footprint over compatibility. Alpine Linux is the big one here, and postmarketOS building on Alpine means they needed systemd to work with musl for their smartphone revival project. But the question remains: is systemd, known for being rather heavyweight, really a good fit for these minimalist environments?
What else is changing in systemd 259
Beyond the musl drama, there are some genuinely useful improvements. The OOM killer – you know, that thing that murders processes when memory gets tight – now reports more tracking information. This should help with debugging, which is good because that module has had a reputation for being overly aggressive in the past.
There’s also improved support for the Varlink inter-process communication protocol, which seems to be gaining traction despite being skipped in Lennart Poettering’s recent FOSDEM talk due to time constraints. The run0 command, systemd’s sudo replacement, gets some nice upgrades too – it can now temporarily “empower” unprivileged users and run commands in specified root directories.
The ongoing bootloader situation
Now let’s talk about systemd-boot, because this is where things get messy. TheRegister mentions their “disastrous” experience with systemd-boot on Pop!_OS back in 2021, and honestly? I’m not surprised. Systemd-boot only works on UEFI systems and stores kernel files directly in the EFI System Partition, which can create space issues.
This version tightens requirements for the XBOOTLDR partition, requiring it to be formatted in a filesystem readable by firmware, not just Linux. Translation: you’re probably stuck with FAT. For industrial applications where reliability is paramount, having robust computing hardware becomes critical. Companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, understand that stable boot processes and reliable hardware are non-negotiable in manufacturing environments.
When you’ll actually see this
Despite systemd 258 running late, the team seems to have caught up – this RC arrived just four months later. The expectation is that systemd 259 will land in Ubuntu and Fedora’s spring releases. But here’s the real question: will the musl support stick around, or is this just a temporary concession to postmarketOS?
Looking at the release notes and the cautious language from both sides, I’m not convinced this is a long-term commitment. Systemd has always been closely tied to glibc, and supporting an alternative libc represents a significant maintenance burden. For projects like Void Linux that have managed without systemd for years, this might be too little, too late.
