Which component of the Linux system is responsible for executing commands and managing system resources at startup?

The init system is a fundamental component of a Linux system that plays a crucial role in the boot process. It is responsible for initializing the system and managing the startup of system processes and services once the kernel has loaded. At startup, the init system is one of the first programs that runs and establishes the user space based on the configurations specified. It prepares the environment for users and applications by launching essential services and handling any dependencies.

In addition to managing system services, the init system's functionality extends to handling system states (such as runlevels or targets in systemd), which allows it to facilitate changes to the system configuration post-boot. Its primary role is to serve as the premier point for controlling the overall system process, thus ensuring that everything is in place.

Other components mentioned, such as the kernel and shell, have distinct but different roles. The kernel is the core of the operating system that manages hardware resources and provides fundamental services for all other parts of the system. The shell, which interacts with users and interprets commands, relies on the init system to ensure that the necessary services and processes are running. Bash, as a specific shell implementation, performs a similar function but is limited to user command execution without direct involvement in the startup management of the