Changes/cleanup systemd install

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= Clean Systemd-boot installs

This is a proposed Change for Fedora Linux.
This document represents a proposed Change. As part of the Changes process, proposals are publicly announced in order to receive community feedback. This proposal will only be implemented if approved by the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee.

Summary

Fedora default installs with a shim + grub bootloader on EFI platforms, yet has been shipping systemd-boot in various forms for a number of releases. There are a few howto's which describe how to replace grub with systemd-boot with varying levels of functionality. This should be easier, with a formalized default method that can be built upon. This proposal aims to complete the work started with anaconda (inst.sdboot), kickstart (--sdboot) such that the "everything" media can install a grub free machine.

Owner

• Name: Jeremy Linton
• Name: Possibly others since it may touch -comps, systemd-boot, etc

• Email: <jeremy.linton@arm.com>

Current status

• Targeted release: [https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/releases/f<VERSION>/ Fedora Linux 39
• Last updated: 2023-06-12
• [<will be assigned by the Wrangler> devel thread]
• FESCo issue: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
• Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
• Release notes tracker: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>

Detailed Description

As a first pass, simply having the 'inst.sdboot' option already in anaconda work. As it stands, that replaces grub+shim with the systemd-boot loader, and moves the kernel + initrd to the EFI system partition (ESP). It doesn't attempt to create unified kernel images, so the existing dnf update, kdumpctl, make install in a kernel source directory should all work. The vast majority of this work has been done, leaving only two action items, removing grubby from core, and merging a shimming package (sdubby) into the fedora repos.

Beyond that there are various enhancements which can be made to remove the /boot partition (leaving the EFI at /boot/efi), enrolling fedora keys if the secure boot mode is "Setup", adding options to enable shim+systemd-boot, assuring that there is a systemd-boot-signed package, etc.

Benefit to Fedora

Fedora is considered a forward looking distro, and as systemd-boot and UKIs gain traction it should be straightforward for users/testers to try out this option as well.

The intention isn't to replace grub, but to co-exist alongside as an alternative bootloader.

and can be installed by other distros it should be the leader in providing a testing/integration platform for environments that aren't interested in running grub

Scope

• Proposal owners:

• Other developers:

• Release engineering: #Releng issue number

• Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change)

• Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

• Alignment with Community Initiatives:

Contingency Plan

• Contingency mechanism: (What to do? Who will do it?) N/A (not a System Wide Change)
• Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
• Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), Yes/No

Documentation

N/A (not a System Wide Change)