The Systemd 256.1 system manager has been released, addressing an issue where the “systemd-tmpfiles –purge” command was inadvertently deleting all files and directories in the /home section. The release notes for Systemd 256 clarified that the previous behavior was a result of the misleading name “TMPFILES” in the utility, which gave the impression that only temporary files would be affected.
The TMPFiles.d settings, however, are not limited to temporary files and are also used to create non-existent directories with data. The deletion of contents in the /home section was caused by a configuration file that automatically created the “/Home” directory, leading to its unintended removal when using the “systemd-tmpfiles –purge” command.
Initially, the developers of Systemd considered removing the “–purge” option to prevent accidental deletion of home directories. However, they ultimately decided to implement a change that limits the command’s action. Now, the “systemd-tmpfiles –purge” command can only be executed with explicit indications of a specific configuration file from tmpfiles.d, ensuring that only related files and directories are removed. Additionally, the man page for systemd-tmpfiles has been updated to provide a more detailed description of the option and warn users about potential consequences.