The humble bootloader is rarely the star of any tech conversation, yet a collection of visually striking GRUB themes has ignited a passionate discussion about bootloader aesthetics, functionality, and whether we should be seeing bootloaders at all in modern computing.
The Gorgeous-GRUB collection showcases dozens of customized GRUB themes ranging from minimalist designs to elaborate gaming-inspired interfaces like Minegrub, Persona 5 Royal, and the tongue-in-cheek Grand Theft Gentoo. While these themes demonstrate impressive creativity in customizing what is typically a utilitarian component of the boot process, the community response reveals deeper questions about bootloader design philosophy.
 |
|---|
| A glimpse into the Gorgeous-GRUB repository on GitHub, where users can find and share customized GRUB themes |
The Case Against GRUB
Many commenters expressed frustration with GRUB's continued prominence in the Linux ecosystem, arguing that it represents outdated technology that should have been replaced by now.
Grub is like a turd that won't flush. It's been completely unnecessary for years, is massively overcomplicated, pretty much unusable as a shell with it's 1995 idioms, and there are much, MUCH lighter (and as useful) replacements.
Critics point to alternatives like extlinux, direct EFI stub booting, and UEFI's built-in boot menu as simpler, more efficient options. The discussion highlighted how dual-booting scenarios can create particularly awkward situations where one GRUB installation chain-loads another before finally reaching the operating system.
 |
|---|
| A detailed view of a modern GRUB boot menu, reflecting the ongoing debate about GRUB’s relevance in today's computing landscape |
The Case For GRUB
Despite the criticism, GRUB defenders note its unmatched flexibility and compatibility. One commenter pointed out that setting GRUB up with full-disk encryption and BTRFS snapshots is braindead easy, while others acknowledged that GRUB's ability to boot virtually any operating system on any hardware configuration remains unmatched. As one user put it, it can frigging boot HannaMontanaBSD on an ENIAC - a colorful way of describing GRUB's remarkable versatility across different platforms and boot environments.
The Invisible Bootloader
A significant portion of the discussion centered not on which bootloader is best, but whether users should see a bootloader at all during normal operation. Many advocated for hiding GRUB by default, with options to display it only when needed by holding a specific key during boot.
I honestly wish GRUB was silent unless you're holding a key during boot. The 5 seconds it takes to go away and just boot the OS by default is really unnecessary, wrote one commenter, echoing a sentiment shared by many. Others pointed out that on modern systems, the bootloader timeout represents one of the few remaining slowdowns in an otherwise rapid boot process.
 |
|---|
| A sleek boot menu interface that exemplifies modern design, highlighting the argument for making bootloaders less visible during the startup process |
Technical Limitations
The discussion also revealed frustrations with GRUB's technical limitations. Several users complained about resolution handling, noting that GRUB doesn't automatically adapt to different monitor resolutions - a particular annoyance for laptop users who connect to various external displays. Others pointed to GRUB's slow decryption of LUKS2 volumes and lack of hardware acceleration as more significant concerns than aesthetic issues.
For those who do want to customize their boot experience, the Gorgeous-GRUB collection offers extensive options and demonstrates that even this utilitarian software component can be transformed into something visually appealing. Whether that transformation is worth the effort depends entirely on how often you actually see your bootloader - and whether you believe it should be seen at all.
In the end, the discussion around GRUB themes reflects the Linux community's ongoing tension between customization and efficiency, between celebrating technical flexibility and demanding invisible infrastructure. As computing continues to evolve toward faster, more seamless experiences, the humble bootloader remains an unexpected battleground for these competing values.
Reference: Gorgeous-GRUB