(Stretch) Restart to install Updates?

Sorry if this has been asked, I couldn't find it. I've been running Stretch for a couple days and noticed a few minutes ago it said new updates were downloaded and to restart to install them, after the Windows flashbacks I let it restart because it seemed that was my only option other than postponing. I checked the list and didn't see any kernel changes that should require it but went along with it, immediately after I made it past GRUB the updates started installing seemingly prior to the OS starting up, is this the new way? Or am I missing something, seems like if this is normal it's a step back.

is this the new way? Or am I missing something, seems like if this is normal it's a step back.

Not sure if it's a new way or not. However; it is a way that works.
It's happened to me:-

Perhaps it had to be that way for a reason?


https://www.debian.org/releases/test...mation.en.html

kernel updates are not the only reason a computer needs to be rebooted after installing updates, or for installing updates, although it's true Linux can restart services perhaps more easily than windows, sometimes the best way to make sure that files aren't being attempted to be written to while they are being updated is to change them before the daemons that use them are started, i could be wrong but that's my take on the matter.