Typical Linux runlevels
ID Name Description
0 Halt Shuts down the system.
1 Single-User Mode Mode for administrative tasks.[2][3]
2 Multi-User Mode Does not configure network interfaces and does not export networks services.[4]
3 Multi-User Mode with Networking Starts the system normally.[5]
4 Not used/User-definable For special purposes.
5 Start the system normally with appropriate display manager. ( with GUI ) As runlevel 3 + display manager.
6 Reboot Reboots the system.
How to do it?
# init 3 (as root. And that's it!)
Curiosity
Lately, many systems have migrated to Upstart which is "an event-based replacement for the traditional init daemon — the method by which several Unix-like computer operating systems perform tasks when the computer is started. It was written by Scott James Remnant, a former employee ofCanonical Ltd." (source: Wikipedia)