Improving boot performance with Bootchart
Shining Boot
© Markus Langer, Fotolia
Bootchart analyzes the boot process and tells you where the system is wasting time.
In this article, I explain how to deploy Bootchart to investigate the boot process and discover where system optimization can be applied to maximum effect.
One of the gripes about Linux is the amount of time it takes to boot. When you switch on a Linux-based mobile phone, you don't want to wait half an hour before you can start to use it. Linux desktop users aren't infinitely patient either, and developers have introduced various tools over the years to tackle the issue of boot time. If you make the effort to analyze the boot process, the results can be remarkable. The Moblin2 distribution boots from a solid-state drive in just five seconds [1], and the boot time for the usual Debian on an Asus Eee PC 901 can be reduced to a fast 14 seconds.
A handy tool called Bootchart [2] investigates the boot performance of a Linux computer. The application painstakingly logs the boot times for individual services and processes, then it converts the data into a lengthy Gantt diagram and outputs it in EPS, PNG, or SVG format. The diagram serves as a guide for directing your performance-tuning efforts.
[...]
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
AerynOS Alpha Release Available
With a choice of several desktop environments, AerynOS 2025.08 is almost ready to be your next operating system.
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for more than two weeks.
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.