Ubuntu News

Ubuntu, one of the world’s most popular Linux distributions, has announced a big change: it’s moving away from the old initramfs-tools and adopting the newer Dracut.
At first glance, this might sound super technical, but don’t worry — it’s a change that will affect every Ubuntu user, whether you realize it or not. Let’s break it down in simple terms.

What is initramfs and why does it matter?

When you turn on a Linux computer, the system can’t just boot directly from the hard drive. First, it needs to:

• load drivers for your hardware (like disk, graphics, and network),
• prepare your encrypted disk, if you use one,
• mount the root filesystem, which Linux needs to start up.

This is the job of initramfs — a tiny helper program that runs before the main system kicks in. Without it, Linux simply wouldn’t boot.

The old way: initramfs-tools

For years, Ubuntu has been using its own tool called initramfs-tools. It did the job well enough, but over time it started to feel outdated.
The main issues were:

• Ubuntu developers had to maintain a lot of custom patches,
• development slowed down,
• it didn’t keep up with newer methods that other Linux distros were already using.

The new way: Dracut

Dracut is a modern tool for building initramfs, originally developed in the Fedora and Red Hat world. These days, it’s also used by Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, openSUSE, and more.
Why is it better? A few key reasons:

• Modular design – it only loads the pieces your system actually needs,
• Faster boot – less unnecessary stuff means quicker startup,
• Better compatibility – works across many Linux distros with fewer custom tweaks,
• Active development – constantly improved by both community and companies.

What does this mean for everyday users?

The best part is: most users won’t have to do a thing.

• Your Ubuntu PC will start up just like before.
• In fact, it may even boot a little faster and feel more stable.
• Support for newer hardware will be smoother.

In short: Ubuntu is swapping out its startup helper behind the scenes, but you don’t need to change or configure anything.

What about advanced users?

If you like to tinker with the kernel or customize your boot process, you’ll notice a few changes:

• instead of running update-initramfs, you’ll now use dracut,
• configuration will look a bit different — more modular,
• the upside: Ubuntu is aligning with the standards used by many other Linux distributions.

Ubuntu’s move to Dracut is about modernizing its boot process.

• For casual users, it means a faster, more reliable startup — without lifting a finger.
• For power users, it offers more flexibility and a system that’s in line with the wider Linux ecosystem.

Overall, this is a step that brings Ubuntu closer to other Linux distributions and sets a stronger foundation for the future.

September 16, 2025