Autologin on tty1 (extras/autologin.sh)

SYNOPSIS

wrenctl install autologin                     log in on tty1 without the password, from the next boot
wrenctl remove autologin                      tty1 asks for the password again
wrenctl manual autologin                      print the manual steps below

bash ~/wren/prep/make-install-iso.sh --autologin   an install stick that sets this up

The computer starts straight into sway without asking for your password: tty1's login prompt (its getty) is started with --autologin for your user, through a systemd drop-in (data/autologin-getty.conf), and the login loop Wren Linux put in ~/.profile starts sway on tty1. The other text consoles still ask. The disk passphrase at boot (on an encrypted disk), the screen lock and sudo all still ask for theirs, so with an encrypted disk someone holding the laptop while it is off still can't get in. On a disk that isn't encrypted the script warns that switching the computer on is then enough to be you, and asks first. The base install sets it up by itself at its first run on an encrypted disk, and not on one that isn't (--encrypted-only); wrenctl remove autologin takes it out, and later runs leave that alone.

LIMITS

• Anyone at the computer between the disk passphrase and your screen lock is you: lock it (Super+Escape) or shut it down when you step away.
• Without disk encryption, it adds nothing to protect: the disk could be read without logging in at all.
• The screen lock still asks for your password; a weak one is still weak.

MANUAL INSTALL

# The drop-in for tty1's getty, with your user name in it
sudo mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d
sed "s|[@]USER@|$(id -un)|g" @WREN_DIR@/data/autologin-getty.conf |
    sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d/50-wren-autologin.conf
# systemd reads it; it applies from the next boot
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

To undo:

# tty1 asks for the password again, from the next boot
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d/50-wren-autologin.conf
sudo rmdir /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d
sudo systemctl daemon-reload