systemd-homed
also: homed
A systemd service that manages user home directories as encrypted, portable volumes that can be stored on local disks or network locations. It provides centralized user account and home directory management with optional full-disk encryption.
systemd-homed is part of systemd that treats each user's home directory as a self-contained, encrypted volume. Instead of storing home directories as regular folders on the root filesystem, homed manages them as discrete LUKS2-encrypted disk images or subvolumes, allowing users to carry their entire home environment between machines.
When a user logs in, their home directory volume is automatically mounted and decrypted using their login credentials. This means the same encrypted home can be used on different systems—the user's files, configurations, and secrets move with them seamlessly.
Example: homectl create --interactive alice creates an encrypted home directory for user alice. Her data is stored in an encrypted image that only unlocks with her password, and it remains encrypted even when her machine is powered off.
This approach improves security and portability, making it particularly useful in enterprise environments or for users who work across multiple systems.