Pros of void-packages

• Larger and more active community with frequent updates
• Broader scope, covering package management for an entire Linux distribution
• More comprehensive documentation and user guides

Cons of void-packages

• More complex structure due to its broader scope
• Steeper learning curve for contributors
• Potentially slower review process due to the larger codebase

Code Comparison

openrc:

static int svc_start(struct service *service)
{
    pid_t pid;
    int status;

    if (service->pid != 0)
        return 1;

void-packages:

do_install() {
    vbin ${wrksrc}/bin/xbps-create
    vbin ${wrksrc}/bin/xbps-dgraph
    vbin ${wrksrc}/bin/xbps-install
    vman ${wrksrc}/man/xbps-create.1
}

Summary

openrc focuses on init system and service management, while void-packages is a package management system for the Void Linux distribution. openrc has a more specialized codebase, primarily in C, while void-packages uses shell scripts for package definitions and build processes. void-packages offers a wider range of functionality but may be more challenging for newcomers to contribute to compared to the more focused openrc project.

Pros of gentoo

• Comprehensive repository covering the entire Gentoo Linux distribution
• Larger community and more active development
• Includes a wide range of packages and ebuilds for system customization

Cons of gentoo

• More complex and potentially overwhelming for new users
• Requires more system resources and time for management
• Less focused on init system specifics compared to OpenRC

Code comparison

openrc:

#!/sbin/openrc-run
command="/usr/sbin/example_daemon"
pidfile="/var/run/example.pid"

gentoo:

# Copyright 1999-2023 Gentoo Authors
# Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2

EAPI=8

DESCRIPTION="Example package"
HOMEPAGE="https://example.com"
SRC_URI="https://example.com/${P}.tar.gz"

LICENSE="GPL-2"
SLOT="0"
KEYWORDS="~amd64 ~x86"

The openrc repository focuses on init scripts and service management, while the gentoo repository contains ebuilds for package management and system configuration. The code examples highlight this difference, with openrc showing a typical init script and gentoo displaying an ebuild structure for package installation and management.

Pros of systemd

• Faster boot times and parallel service startup
• Unified system and service management with extensive features
• Better dependency handling and service isolation

Cons of systemd

• Complex and monolithic design, potentially harder to troubleshoot
• Steeper learning curve for system administrators
• Less adherence to Unix philosophy of simple, modular tools

Code Comparison

systemd service file:

[Unit]
Description=My Service
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/myservice
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

OpenRC service file:

#!/sbin/openrc-run

name="My Service"
command="/usr/bin/myservice"
command_background=true
pidfile="/var/run/${RC_SVCNAME}.pid"

depend() {
    need net
}

systemd uses declarative configuration files, while OpenRC uses shell scripts for service definitions. systemd's approach is more structured but less flexible, while OpenRC offers more customization at the cost of potential complexity in larger scripts.

Both systems aim to manage services efficiently, but systemd provides a more comprehensive suite of tools for system management, while OpenRC focuses on simplicity and follows traditional Unix conventions more closely.