mkinitcpio:tldr:4304c

The mkinitcpio --listhooks command is used to find and list all the available hooks in the initramfs generation system of Arch Linux.

In Arch Linux, the initramfs (initial RAM file system) is a small temporary file system that is loaded into memory during the boot process. It contains essential files and drivers necessary for the system to boot successfully. Hooks in this context refer to the scripts or programs that are utilized during the creation or modification of the initramfs.

When you execute mkinitcpio --listhooks, it displays a list of the available hooks on your system. Each hook represents a specific task or functionality that is executed during the initramfs generation process. These hooks can include various operations such as setting up disk encryption, loading specific kernel modules, configuring networking, managing hardware drivers, etc.

Understanding the available hooks can be useful when customizing the initramfs or troubleshooting boot-related issues as it gives you an overview of the components involved in the early boot process of your Arch Linux system.