Aren't systemd units simple text files with no hidden magic? In fact, all systemd configuration is plain text files and symbolic links. The only binary format is the journal.

> Aren't systemd units simple text files with no hidden magic?

Compared to something like a shell script, systemd unit files are magic because you have to know a lot about how systemd works to figure out how your config file translates into actual behavior.

I think learning systemd configs is substantially easier than learning an entire awkward programming language.