SETUP-DEVD(8)

📦 version 3.22.0, in alpine 3.24

💅 setup-devd — configure the device manager

okay so bestie, this is a page from the System Manager's Manual (section 8, the system administration girlies) and it's all about setup-devd, which picks and sets up your device manager for /dev. let's get into it 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

setup-devd [-h] [-C] [mdev | mdevd | udev]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

setup-devd selects and configures the device manager for /dev. and the way it does that? it disables any other configured device managers and enables the chosen one. one at a time, no polyamory, periodt 💅

so here's the lineup, bestie:

  • mdev (from busybox) is the default. the lowkey reliable one, always has been.
  • mdevd is a standalone, mdev-compatible alternative. like mdev's cooler cousin who moved out and got her own place.
  • udev (from eudev) is the full-featured one. main character energy fr fr 👑

when you pass a device manager as an argument, the script runs non-interactively — no questions, no small talk, it just goes. but with no argument? it prompts you for a choice and also asks whether to coldplug the hardware. so cute of it to ask 🎀

⭐ OPTIONS ⭐

  • -C — Request a coldplug scan where supported. for mdevd, this starts mdevd-init and hwdrivers after mdevd. ngl, mdev and udev setup do not vary based on this flag — they're unbothered, they're living their truth. but here's the thing: in interactive mode the user is asked whether to coldplug, and this flag forces that answer. no asking, the decision is made 🙈
  • -h — Display usage information and exit. the "never mind, just tell me how this works" option 💖

🦋 DEVICE MANAGERS 🦋

mdev

Installs busybox-mdev-openrc. Enables the mdev and hwdrivers services in the sysinit runlevel and starts them. simple, iconic, done ✨

mdevd

Installs mdevd and mdevd-openrc, enables mdevd, mdevd-init and hwdrivers in the sysinit runlevel, starts the services and performs coldplug if requested. she does the whole routine 💅

udev

Installs eudev, udev-init-scripts, and udev-init-scripts-openrc. Enables udev, udev-trigger, udev-settle in the sysinit runlevel and udev-postmount in the default runlevel. Starts all services. ate and left no crumbs 🔥

💀 EXIT STATUS 💀

  • 0 — Success. we love to see it 🎉
  • non-zero — An error occurred. something went wrong bestie, check the vibes 😭

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

mdev(8), mdevd(8), udev(7), setup-alpine(8)

go read these too, iykyk 📚

👑 AUTHORS 👑

Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org> and others. shoutout 🫶

lowkey important reminder: this page is from Alpine Linux, dated 2026-06-09. that's the source and the version and the date, all in one cute little sign-off. bye bestie, go configure your devices 💜🧚
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