How to change default runlevel?

I can work through complicated problems like installing specialized applications or making them run. But sometimes I surrender to the seemingly most simple tasks. So:

How do I change the default run level?

Should be something like:

systemd --unit=........

In fact it is a symliink in /etc/systemd:

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root   40 Jan 17  2014 default.target -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/runlevel5.target

And possible other targets can be found in /usr/lib/systemd/system/runlevels.
You will find there old and new names (and symlinks which connect them).

Note;
You can set default targets (upon next boot) that are more or less equal to old runlevels - to do so;

Set old init 3 ( multiuser + console ):

systemctl set-default multi-user.target

Set old init 5 ( multiuser + graphical ):

systemctl set-default graphical.target

To view your current default target:

systemctl get-default

To switch targets (runlevels) on the fly;

systemctl isolate multi-user.target

Warning: this will KILL your graphical user interface so if you have any programs running, make sure you have saved all data.

Hm, I think the systemctl ones are better to use then what I offered.

Essentially it does exactly the same thing of creating a few symlinks, I’m just lazy :slight_smile:

I understand that of course, but pointing to systemctl as the tool to use will make the awareness of people of the existence, and the multiple usages it has, greater.

And that may lead people to do

man systemctl

when questions like that of the OP raise.

You can also set the default boot target (there are no “runlevels” anymore since the switch to systemd) in YaST->System->Services Manager, if you prefer a GUI.

I chose to increase my awareness of the existence of systemctl :slight_smile:

But, oh sigh… all these structural changes from versions to versions. Once you have learned one thing, it changes next time you install a newer version. It somehow binds the learning energy (I only have a limited amount of it) that could be used for other areas, that still remained grey…

And now that I know how to start in runlevel 3 a next problem arises. startx doesn’t work anymore how it once used to. But that in a different thread.