refactor: divide nixos-with-flakes-enabled into several sections to make it easier to read and find (#132)

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@ -186,6 +186,14 @@ function themeConfigEnglish() {
text: "NixOS with Flakes Enabled",
link: "/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-with-flakes-enabled.md",
},
{
text: "NixOS's flake.nix Explained",
link: "/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-flake-configuration-explained.md",
},
{
text: "The combination ability of Flakes and Nixpkgs module system",
link: "/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-flake-and-module-system.md",
},
{
text: "Adding Custom Cache Servers",
link: "/nixos-with-flakes/add-custom-cache-servers.md",
@ -380,6 +388,14 @@ function themeConfigChinese() {
text: "使用 Flakes 管理 NixOS",
link: "/zh/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-with-flakes-enabled.md",
},
{
text: "NixOS 的 flake.nix 内容详解",
link: "/zh/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-flake-configuration-explained.md",
},
{
text: "Flakes 的组合能力与 Nixpkgs 模块系统",
link: "/zh/nixos-with-flakes/nixos-flake-and-module-system.md",
},
{
text: "添加自定义缓存服务器",
link: "/zh/nixos-with-flakes/add-custom-cache-servers.md",
@ -414,7 +430,7 @@ function themeConfigChinese() {
{ text: "Overriding", link: "/zh/nixpkgs/overriding.md" },
{ text: "Overlays", link: "/zh/nixpkgs/overlays.md" },
{
text: "多 Nixpkgs 实例",
text: "多 Nixpkgs 实例的妙用",
link: "/zh/nixpkgs/multiple-nixpkgs.md",
},
],

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@ -44,20 +44,6 @@ Overall, I strongly recommend everyone to use Flakes, especially since this book
around NixOS and Flakes. However, it's crucial to be prepared for potential problems that
may arise due to forthcoming breaking changes.
## Flakes Tutorials
I won't go into too much detail here, please refer to the following documents:
- Nix Flakes's official documentation:
- [Nix flakes - Nix Manual](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake)
- [Flakes - nix.dev](https://nix.dev/concepts/flakes)
- A series of tutorials by Eelco Dolstra(The creator of Nix) about Flakes:
- [Nix Flakes, Part 1: An introduction and tutorial (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-05-25-flakes/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 2: Evaluation caching (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-06-25-eval-cache/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 3: Managing NixOS systems (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-07-31-nixos-flakes/)
- Other useful documents:
- [Practical Nix Flakes](https://serokell.io/blog/practical-nix-flakes)
## When Will Flakes Be Stabilized?
I delved into some details regarding Flakes:

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@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
# The combination ability of Flakes and Nixpkgs module system
## Nixpkgs Module Structure Explained {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-module-structure}
> The detailed workings of this module system will be introduced in the following
> [Modularizing NixOS Configuration](./modularize-the-configuration.md) section. Here,
> we'll just cover some basic knowledge.
You might be wondering why the `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` configuration file adheres
to the Nixpkgs Module definition and can be referenced directly within the `flake.nix`.
This is because the Nixpkgs repository contains a significant amount of NixOS
implementation source code, primarily written in Nix. To manage and maintain such a large
volume of Nix code and to allow users to customize various functions of their NixOS
systems, a modular system for Nix code is essential.
This modular system for Nix code is also implemented within the Nixpkgs repository and is
primarily used for modularizing NixOS system configurations. However, it is also widely
used in other contexts, such as nix-darwin and home-manager. Since NixOS is built on this
modular system, it is only natural that its configuration files, including
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`, are Nixpkgs Modules.
Before delving into the subsequent content, it's essential to have a basic understanding
of how this module system operates.
Here's a simplified structure of a Nixpkgs Module:
```nix
{lib, config, options, pkgs, ...}:
{
# Importing other Modules
imports = [
# ...
./xxx.nix
];
for.bar.enable = true;
# Other option declarations
# ...
}
```
The definition is actually a Nix function, and it has five **automatically generated,
automatically injected, and declaration-free parameters** provided by the module system:
1. `lib`: A built-in function library included with nixpkgs, offering many practical
functions for operating Nix expressions.
- For more information, see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#id-1.4>.
2. `config`: A set of all options' values in the current environment, which will be used
extensively in the subsequent section on the module system.
3. `options`: A set of all options defined in all Modules in the current environment.
4. `pkgs`: A collection containing all nixpkgs packages, along with several related
utility functions.
- At the beginner stage, you can consider its default value to be
`nixpkgs.legacyPackages."${system}"`, and the value of `pkgs` can be customized
through the `nixpkgs.pkgs` option.
5. `modulesPath`: A parameter available only in NixOS, which is a path pointing to
[nixpkgs/nixos/modules](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/modules).
- It is defined in
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43).
- It is typically used to import additional NixOS modules and can be found in most
NixOS auto-generated `hardware-configuration.nix` files.
## Passing Non-default Parameters to Submodules {#pass-non-default-parameters-to-submodules}
If you need to pass other non-default parameters to submodules, you will need to use some
special methods to manually specify these non-default parameters.
The Nixpkgs module system provides two ways to pass non-default parameters:
1. The `specialArgs` parameter of the `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function
2. Using the `_module.args` option in any module to pass parameters
The official documentation for these two parameters is buried deep and is vague and hard
to understand. If readers are interested, I will include the links here:
1. `specialArgs`: There are scattered mentions related to it in the NixOS Manual and the
Nixpkgs Manual.
- Nixpkgs Manual: [Module System - Nixpkgs]
- NixOS Manual:
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]
1. `_module.args`:
- NixOS Manual:
[Appendix A. Configuration Options](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options#opt-_module.args)
- Source Code: [nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]
In short, `specialArgs` and `_module.args` both require an attribute set as their value,
and they serve the same purpose, passing all parameters in the attribute set to all
submodules. The difference between them is:
1. The `_module.args` option can be used in any module to pass parameters to each other,
which is more flexible than `specialArgs`, which can only be used in the
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function.
1. `_module.args` is declared within a module, so it must be evaluated after all modules
have been evaluated before it can be used. This means that **if you use the parameters
passed through `_module.args` in `imports = [ ... ];`, it will result in an
`infinite recursion` error**. In this case, you must use `specialArgs` instead.
The NixOS community generally recommends prioritizing the use of the `_module.args` option
and resorting to `specialArgs` only when `_module.args` cannot be used.
Suppose you want to pass a certain dependency to a submodule for use. You can use the
`specialArgs` parameter to pass the `inputs` to all submodules:
```nix{13}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
# Set all inputs parameters as special arguments for all submodules,
# so you can directly use all dependencies in inputs in submodules
specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
Or you can achieve the same effect using the `_module.args` option:
```nix{14}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
{
# Set all inputs parameters as special arguments for all submodules,
# so you can directly use all dependencies in inputs in submodules
_module.args = { inherit inputs; };
}
];
};
};
}
```
Choose one of the two methods above to modify your configuration, and then you can use the
`inputs` parameter in `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`. The module system will automatically
match the `inputs` defined in `specialArgs` and inject it into all submodules that require
this parameter:
```nix{3}
# Nix will match by name and automatically inject the inputs
# from specialArgs/_module.args into the third parameter of this function
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# ...
}
```
The next section will demonstrate how to use `specialArgs`/`_module.args` to install
system software from other flake sources.
## Installing System Software from Other Flake Sources {#install-system-packages-from-other-flakes}
The most common requirement for managing a system is to install software, and we have
already seen in the previous section how to install packages from the official nixpkgs
repository using `environment.systemPackages`. These packages all come from the official
nixpkgs repository.
Now, we will learn how to install software packages from other flake sources, which is
much more flexible than installing directly from nixpkgs. The main use case is to install
the latest version of a software that is not yet added or updated in Nixpkgs.
Taking the Helix editor as an example, here's how to compile and install the master branch
of Helix directly.
First, add the helix input data source to `flake.nix`:
```nix{6,12,18}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
# helix editor, use the master branch
helix.url = "github:helix-editor/helix/master";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
modules = [
./configuration.nix
# This module works the same as the `specialArgs` parameter we used above
# chose one of the two methods to use
# { _module.args = { inherit inputs; };}
];
};
};
}
```
Next, you can reference this flake input data source in `configuration.nix`:
```nix{1,10}
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# ...
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
git
vim
wget
curl
# Here, the helix package is installed from the helix input data source
inputs.helix.packages."${pkgs.system}".helix
];
# ...
}
```
Make the necessary changes and deploy with `sudo nixos-rebuild switch`. The deployment
will take much longer this time because Nix will compile the entire Helix program from
source.
After deployment, you can directly test and verify the installation using the `hx` command
in the terminal.
Additionally, if you just want to try out the latest version of Helix and decide whether
to install it on your system later, there is a simpler way to do it in one command (but as
mentioned earlier, compiling from source will take a long time):
```bash
nix run github:helix-editor/helix/master
```
We will go into more detail on the usage of `nix run` in the following section
[Usage of the New CLI](../other-usage-of-flakes/the-new-cli.md).
## Leveraging Features from Other Flakes Packages
In fact, this is the primary functionality of Flakes — a flake can depend on other flakes,
allowing it to utilize the features they provide. It's akin to how we incorporate
functionalities from other libraries when writing programs in TypeScript, Go, Rust, and
other programming languages.
The example above, using the latest version from the official Helix Flake, illustrates
this functionality. More use cases will be discussed later, and here are a few examples
referenced for future mention:
- [Getting Started with Home Manager](./start-using-home-manager.md): This introduces the
community's Home-Manager as a dependency, enabling direct utilization of the features
provided by this Flake.
- [Downgrading or Upgrading Packages](./downgrade-or-upgrade-packages.md): Here, different
versions of Nixpkgs are introduced as dependencies, allowing for flexible selection of
packages from various versions of Nixpkgs.
## More Flakes Tutorials
Up to this point, we have learned how to use Flakes to configure NixOS systems.
If you have more questions about Flakes or want to learn more in-depth, please refer
directly to the following official/semi-official documents:
- Nix Flakes's official documentation:
- [Nix flakes - Nix Manual](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake)
- [Flakes - nix.dev](https://nix.dev/concepts/flakes)
- A series of tutorials by Eelco Dolstra(The creator of Nix) about Flakes:
- [Nix Flakes, Part 1: An introduction and tutorial (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-05-25-flakes/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 2: Evaluation caching (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-06-25-eval-cache/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 3: Managing NixOS systems (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-07-31-nixos-flakes/)
- Other useful documents:
- [Practical Nix Flakes](https://serokell.io/blog/practical-nix-flakes)
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix
[Module System - Nixpkgs]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/23.11/doc/module-system/module-system.chapter.md
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix#L122-L184
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md?plain=1#L237-L244

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@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
# `flake.nix` Configuration Explained {#flake-nix-configuration-explained}
Above, we created a `flake.nix` file to manage system configurations, but you might still
be unclear about its structure. Let's explain the content of this file in detail.
## 1. Flake Inputs
First, let's look at the `inputs` attribute. It is an attribute set that defines all the
dependencies of this flake. These dependencies will be passed as arguments to the
`outputs` function after they are fetched:
```nix{2-5,7}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, using the nixos-23.11 branch here
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# Omitting previous configurations......
};
}
```
Dependencies in `inputs` has many types and definitions. It can be another flake, a
regular Git repository, or a local path. The section
[Other Usage of Flakes - Flake Inputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/inputs.md) describes
common types of dependencies and their definitions in detail.
Here we only define a dependency named `nixpkgs`, which is the most common way to
reference in a flake, i.e., `github:owner/name/reference`. The `reference` here can be a
branch name, commit-id, or tag.
After `nixpkgs` is defined in `inputs`, you can use it in the parameters of the subsequent
`outputs` function, which is exactly what our example does.
## 2. Flake Outputs
Now let's look at `outputs`. It is a function that takes the dependencies from `inputs` as
its parameters, and its return value is an attribute set, which represents the build
results of the flake:
```nix{11-19}
{
description = "A simple NixOS flake";
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, here using the nixos-23.11 branch
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# The host with the hostname `my-nixos` will use this configuration
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
Flakes can have various purposes and can have different types of outputs. The section
[Flake Outputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/outputs.md) provides a more detailed
introduction. Here, we are only using the `nixosConfigurations` type of outputs, which is
used to configure NixOS systems.
When we run the `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` command, it looks for the
`nixosConfigurations.my-nixos` attribute (where `my-nixos` will be the hostname of your
current system) in the attribute set returned by the `outputs` function of
`/etc/nixos/flake.nix` and uses the definition there to configure your NixOS system.
Actually, we can also customize the location of the flake and the name of the NixOS
configuration instead of using the defaults. This can be done by adding the `--flake`
parameter to the `nixos-rebuild` command. Here's an example:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname
```
A brief explanation of the `--flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname` parameter:
1. `/path/to/your/flake` is the location of the target flake. The default path is
`/etc/nixos/`.
2. `#` is a separator, and `your-hostname` is the name of the NixOS configuration.
`nixos-rebuild` will default to using the hostname of your current system as the
configuration name to look for.
You can even directly reference a remote GitHub repository as your flake source, for
example:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake github:owner/repo#your-hostname
```
## 3. The Special Parameter `self` of the `outputs` Function {#special-parameter-self-of-outputs-function}
Although we have not mentioned it before, all the example code in the previous sections
has one more special parameter in the `outputs` function, and we will briefly introduce
its purpose here.
The description of it in the [nix flake - Nix Manual] is:
> The special input named `self` refers to the outputs and source tree of this flake.
This means that `self` is the return value of the current flake's `outputs` function and
also the path to the current flake's source code folder (source tree).
We are not using the `self` parameter here, but in some more complex examples (or
configurations you may find online) later, you will see the usage of `self`.
> Note: You might come across some code where people use `self.outputs` to reference the
> outputs of the current flake, which is indeed possible. However, the Nix Manual does not
> provide any explanation for this, and it is considered an internal implementation detail
> of flakes. It is not recommended to use this in your own code!
## 4. Simple Introduction to `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` Function {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-lib-nixos-system}
**A Flake can depend on other Flakes to utilize the features they provide.**
By default, a flake searches for a `flake.nix` file in the root directory of each of its
dependencies (i.e., each item in `inputs`) and lazily evaluates their `outputs` functions.
It then passes the attribute set returned by these functions as arguments to its own
`outputs` function, enabling us to use the features provided by the other flakes within
our current flake.
More precisely, the evaluation of the `outputs` function for each dependency is lazy. This
means that a flake's `outputs` function is only evaluated when it is actually used,
thereby avoiding unnecessary calculations and improving efficiency.
The description above may be a bit confusing, so let's take a look at the process with the
`flake.nix` example used in this section. Our `flake.nix` declares the `inputs.nixpkgs`
dependency, so that [nixpkgs/flake.nix] will be evaluated when we run the
`sudo nixos-rebuild switch` command.
From the source code of the Nixpkgs repository, we can see that its flake outputs
definition includes the `lib` attribute, and in our example, we use the `lib` attribute's
`nixosSystem` function to configure our NixOS system:
```nix{8-13}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, here using the nixos-23.11 branch
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
The attribute set following `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` is the function's parameter. We have
only set two parameters here:
1. `system`: This is straightforward, it's the system architecture parameter.
2. `modules`: This is a list of modules, where the actual NixOS system configuration is
defined. The `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` configuration file itself is a Nixpkgs
Module, so it can be directly added to the `modules` list for use.
Understanding these basics is sufficient for beginners. Exploring the
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function in detail requires a grasp of the Nixpkgs module
system. Readers who have completed the
[Modularizing NixOS Configuration](./modularize-the-configuration.md) section can return
to [nixpkgs/flake.nix] to find the definition of `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem`, trace its
source code, and study its implementation.
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix
[Module System - Nixpkgs]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/23.11/doc/module-system/module-system.chapter.md
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix#L122-L184
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md?plain=1#L237-L244

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@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
# Enabling NixOS with Flakes
## Enabling Flakes Support for NixOS {#enable-nix-flakes}
Compared to the default configuration method currently used in NixOS, Flakes offers better
reproducibility. Its clear package structure definition inherently supports dependencies
on other Git repositories, facilitating code sharing. Therefore, this book suggests using
Flakes to manage system configurations. Currently, Flakes is still an experimental feature
and not enabled by default. We need to manually modify the `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`
file to enable the Flakes feature and the accompanying new nix command-line tool:
Flakes to manage system configurations.
This section describes how to use Flakes to manage NixOS system configuration, and **you
don't need to know anything about Flakes in advance**.
## Enabling Flakes Support for NixOS {#enable-nix-flakes}
Currently, Flakes is still an experimental feature and not enabled by default. We need to
manually modify the `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` file to enable the Flakes feature and
the accompanying new nix command-line tool:
```nix{12,16}
{ config, pkgs, ... }:
@ -115,10 +120,17 @@ Currently, our flake includes these files:
- `/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix`: This is the system hardware configuration file,
generated by NixOS, which describes the system's hardware information.
Up to this point, `/etc/nixos/flake.nix` has merely been a thin wrapper around
## Cconclusion
Up to this point, we have merely added a very simple configuration file,
`/etc/nixos/flake.nix`, which has merely been a thin wrapper around
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`, offering no new functionality and introducing no
disruptive changes. In the content of the book that follows, we will gradually see the
benefits that such a wrapper brings.
disruptive changes.
In the content of the book that follows, we will learn about the structure and
functionality of `flake.nix` and gradually see the benefits that such a wrapper can
bring.
> Note: The configuration management method described in this book is NOT "Everything in a
> single file". It is recommended to categorize configuration content into different nix
@ -132,438 +144,6 @@ benefits that such a wrapper brings.
> [Other Useful Tips - Managing NixOS Configuration with Git](./other-useful-tips.md) will
> introduce several best practices for managing NixOS configuration with Git.
## `flake.nix` Configuration Explained {#flake-nix-configuration-explained}
Above, we created a `flake.nix` file to manage system configurations, but you might still
be unclear about its structure. Let's explain the content of this file in detail.
### 1. Flake Inputs
First, let's look at the `inputs` attribute. It is an attribute set that defines all the
dependencies of this flake. These dependencies will be passed as arguments to the
`outputs` function after they are fetched:
```nix{2-5,7}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, using the nixos-23.11 branch here
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# Omitting previous configurations......
};
}
```
Dependencies in `inputs` has many types and definitions. It can be another flake, a
regular Git repository, or a local path. The section
[Other Usage of Flakes - Flake Inputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/inputs.md) describes
common types of dependencies and their definitions in detail.
Here we only define a dependency named `nixpkgs`, which is the most common way to
reference in a flake, i.e., `github:owner/name/reference`. The `reference` here can be a
branch name, commit-id, or tag.
After `nixpkgs` is defined in `inputs`, you can use it in the parameters of the subsequent
`outputs` function, which is exactly what our example does.
### 2. Flake Outputs
Now let's look at `outputs`. It is a function that takes the dependencies from `inputs` as
its parameters, and its return value is an attribute set, which represents the build
results of the flake:
```nix{11-19}
{
description = "A simple NixOS flake";
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, here using the nixos-23.11 branch
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# The host with the hostname `my-nixos` will use this configuration
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
Flakes can have various purposes and can have different types of outputs. The section
[Flake Outputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/outputs.md) provides a more detailed
introduction. Here, we are only using the `nixosConfigurations` type of outputs, which is
used to configure NixOS systems.
When we run the `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` command, it looks for the
`nixosConfigurations.my-nixos` attribute (where `my-nixos` will be the hostname of your
current system) in the attribute set returned by the `outputs` function of
`/etc/nixos/flake.nix` and uses the definition there to configure your NixOS system.
Actually, we can also customize the location of the flake and the name of the NixOS
configuration instead of using the defaults. This can be done by adding the `--flake`
parameter to the `nixos-rebuild` command. Here's an example:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname
```
A brief explanation of the `--flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname` parameter:
1. `/path/to/your/flake` is the location of the target flake. The default path is
`/etc/nixos/`.
2. `#` is a separator, and `your-hostname` is the name of the NixOS configuration.
`nixos-rebuild` will default to using the hostname of your current system as the
configuration name to look for.
You can even directly reference a remote GitHub repository as your flake source, for
example:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake github:owner/repo#your-hostname
```
### 3. The Special Parameter `self` of the `outputs` Function {#special-parameter-self-of-outputs-function}
Although we have not mentioned it before, all the example code in the previous sections
has one more special parameter in the `outputs` function, and we will briefly introduce
its purpose here.
The description of it in the [nix flake - Nix Manual] is:
> The special input named `self` refers to the outputs and source tree of this flake.
This means that `self` is the return value of the current flake's `outputs` function and
also the path to the current flake's source code folder (source tree).
We are not using the `self` parameter here, but in some more complex examples (or
configurations you may find online) later, you will see the usage of `self`.
> Note: You might come across some code where people use `self.outputs` to reference the
> outputs of the current flake, which is indeed possible. However, the Nix Manual does not
> provide any explanation for this, and it is considered an internal implementation detail
> of flakes. It is not recommended to use this in your own code!
### 4. Simple Introduction to `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` Function {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-lib-nixos-system}
**A Flake can depend on other Flakes to utilize the features they provide.**
By default, a flake searches for a `flake.nix` file in the root directory of each of its
dependencies (i.e., each item in `inputs`) and lazily evaluates their `outputs` functions.
It then passes the attribute set returned by these functions as arguments to its own
`outputs` function, enabling us to use the features provided by the other flakes within
our current flake.
More precisely, the evaluation of the `outputs` function for each dependency is lazy. This
means that a flake's `outputs` function is only evaluated when it is actually used,
thereby avoiding unnecessary calculations and improving efficiency.
The description above may be a bit confusing, so let's take a look at the process with the
`flake.nix` example used in this section. Our `flake.nix` declares the `inputs.nixpkgs`
dependency, so that [nixpkgs/flake.nix] will be evaluated when we run the
`sudo nixos-rebuild switch` command.
From the source code of the Nixpkgs repository, we can see that its flake outputs
definition includes the `lib` attribute, and in our example, we use the `lib` attribute's
`nixosSystem` function to configure our NixOS system:
```nix{8-13}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS official package source, here using the nixos-23.11 branch
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
The attribute set following `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` is the function's parameter. We have
only set two parameters here:
1. `system`: This is straightforward, it's the system architecture parameter.
2. `modules`: This is a list of modules, where the actual NixOS system configuration is
defined. The `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` configuration file itself is a Nixpkgs
Module, so it can be directly added to the `modules` list for use.
Understanding these basics is sufficient for beginners. Exploring the
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function in detail requires a grasp of the Nixpkgs module
system. Readers who have completed the
[Modularizing NixOS Configuration](./modularize-the-configuration.md) section can return
to [nixpkgs/flake.nix] to find the definition of `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem`, trace its
source code, and study its implementation.
## Nixpkgs Module Structure Explained {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-module-structure}
> The detailed workings of this module system will be introduced in the following
> [Modularizing NixOS Configuration](./modularize-the-configuration.md) section. Here,
> we'll just cover some basic knowledge.
You might be wondering why the `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` configuration file adheres
to the Nixpkgs Module definition and can be referenced directly within the `flake.nix`.
This is because the Nixpkgs repository contains a significant amount of NixOS
implementation source code, primarily written in Nix. To manage and maintain such a large
volume of Nix code and to allow users to customize various functions of their NixOS
systems, a modular system for Nix code is essential.
This modular system for Nix code is also implemented within the Nixpkgs repository and is
primarily used for modularizing NixOS system configurations. However, it is also widely
used in other contexts, such as nix-darwin and home-manager. Since NixOS is built on this
modular system, it is only natural that its configuration files, including
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`, are Nixpkgs Modules.
Before delving into the subsequent content, it's essential to have a basic understanding
of how this module system operates.
Here's a simplified structure of a Nixpkgs Module:
```nix
{lib, config, options, pkgs, ...}:
{
# Importing other Modules
imports = [
# ...
./xxx.nix
];
for.bar.enable = true;
# Other option declarations
# ...
}
```
The definition is actually a Nix function, and it has five **automatically generated,
automatically injected, and declaration-free parameters** provided by the module system:
1. `lib`: A built-in function library included with nixpkgs, offering many practical
functions for operating Nix expressions.
- For more information, see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#id-1.4>.
2. `config`: A set of all options' values in the current environment, which will be used
extensively in the subsequent section on the module system.
3. `options`: A set of all options defined in all Modules in the current environment.
4. `pkgs`: A collection containing all nixpkgs packages, along with several related
utility functions.
- At the beginner stage, you can consider its default value to be
`nixpkgs.legacyPackages."${system}"`, and the value of `pkgs` can be customized
through the `nixpkgs.pkgs` option.
5. `modulesPath`: A parameter available only in NixOS, which is a path pointing to
[nixpkgs/nixos/modules](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/modules).
- It is defined in
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43).
- It is typically used to import additional NixOS modules and can be found in most
NixOS auto-generated `hardware-configuration.nix` files.
## Passing Non-default Parameters to Submodules {#pass-non-default-parameters-to-submodules}
If you need to pass other non-default parameters to submodules, you will need to use some
special methods to manually specify these non-default parameters.
The Nixpkgs module system provides two ways to pass non-default parameters:
1. The `specialArgs` parameter of the `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function
2. Using the `_module.args` option in any module to pass parameters
The official documentation for these two parameters is buried deep and is vague and hard
to understand. If readers are interested, I will include the links here:
1. `specialArgs`: There are scattered mentions related to it in the NixOS Manual and the
Nixpkgs Manual.
- Nixpkgs Manual: [Module System - Nixpkgs]
- NixOS Manual:
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]
1. `_module.args`:
- NixOS Manual:
[Appendix A. Configuration Options](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options#opt-_module.args)
- Source Code: [nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]
In short, `specialArgs` and `_module.args` both require an attribute set as their value,
and they serve the same purpose, passing all parameters in the attribute set to all
submodules. The difference between them is:
1. The `_module.args` option can be used in any module to pass parameters to each other,
which is more flexible than `specialArgs`, which can only be used in the
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` function.
1. `_module.args` is declared within a module, so it must be evaluated after all modules
have been evaluated before it can be used. This means that **if you use the parameters
passed through `_module.args` in `imports = [ ... ];`, it will result in an
`infinite recursion` error**. In this case, you must use `specialArgs` instead.
The NixOS community generally recommends prioritizing the use of the `_module.args` option
and resorting to `specialArgs` only when `_module.args` cannot be used.
Suppose you want to pass a certain dependency to a submodule for use. You can use the
`specialArgs` parameter to pass the `inputs` to all submodules:
```nix{13}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
# Set all inputs parameters as special arguments for all submodules,
# so you can directly use all dependencies in inputs in submodules
specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
Or you can achieve the same effect using the `_module.args` option:
```nix{14}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
{
# Set all inputs parameters as special arguments for all submodules,
# so you can directly use all dependencies in inputs in submodules
_module.args = { inherit inputs; };
}
];
};
};
}
```
Choose one of the two methods above to modify your configuration, and then you can use the
`inputs` parameter in `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`. The module system will automatically
match the `inputs` defined in `specialArgs` and inject it into all submodules that require
this parameter:
```nix{3}
# Nix will match by name and automatically inject the inputs
# from specialArgs/_module.args into the third parameter of this function
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# ...
}
```
The next section will demonstrate how to use `specialArgs`/`_module.args` to install
system software from other flake sources.
## Installing System Software from Other Flake Sources {#install-system-packages-from-other-flakes}
The most common requirement for managing a system is to install software, and we have
already seen in the previous section how to install packages from the official nixpkgs
repository using `environment.systemPackages`. These packages all come from the official
nixpkgs repository.
Now, we will learn how to install software packages from other flake sources, which is
much more flexible than installing directly from nixpkgs. The main use case is to install
the latest version of a software that is not yet added or updated in Nixpkgs.
Taking the Helix editor as an example, here's how to compile and install the master branch
of Helix directly.
First, add the helix input data source to `flake.nix`:
```nix{6,12,18}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
# helix editor, use the master branch
helix.url = "github:helix-editor/helix/master";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
specialArgs = { inherit inputs; };
modules = [
./configuration.nix
# This module works the same as the `specialArgs` parameter we used above
# chose one of the two methods to use
# { _module.args = { inherit inputs; };}
];
};
};
}
```
Next, you can reference this flake input data source in `configuration.nix`:
```nix{1,10}
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# ...
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
git
vim
wget
curl
# Here, the helix package is installed from the helix input data source
inputs.helix.packages."${pkgs.system}".helix
];
# ...
}
```
Make the necessary changes and deploy with `sudo nixos-rebuild switch`. The deployment
will take much longer this time because Nix will compile the entire Helix program from
source.
After deployment, you can directly test and verify the installation using the `hx` command
in the terminal.
Additionally, if you just want to try out the latest version of Helix and decide whether
to install it on your system later, there is a simpler way to do it in one command (but as
mentioned earlier, compiling from source will take a long time):
```bash
nix run github:helix-editor/helix/master
```
We will go into more detail on the usage of `nix run` in the following section
[Usage of the New CLI](../other-usage-of-flakes/the-new-cli.md).
## Leveraging Features from Other Flakes Packages
In fact, this is the primary functionality of Flakes — a flake can depend on other flakes,
allowing it to utilize the features they provide. It's akin to how we incorporate
functionalities from other libraries when writing programs in TypeScript, Go, Rust, and
other programming languages.
The example above, using the latest version from the official Helix Flake, illustrates
this functionality. More use cases will be discussed later, and here are a few examples
referenced for future mention:
- [Getting Started with Home Manager](./start-using-home-manager.md): This introduces the
community's Home-Manager as a dependency, enabling direct utilization of the features
provided by this Flake.
- [Downgrading or Upgrading Packages](./downgrade-or-upgrade-packages.md): Here, different
versions of Nixpkgs are introduced as dependencies, allowing for flexible selection of
packages from various versions of Nixpkgs.
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix

View file

@ -35,20 +35,6 @@ Flakes[^3],因此我们可以相当确定 Flakes 不会被废弃。
总的来说,我仍然推荐大家使用 Flakes毕竟这本书本身也是围绕 NixOS 与 Flakes 编写的,但是也
要做好准备——未来可能需要解决一些不兼容变更带来的问题。
## Flakes 入门
限于个人精力,我不会在本书中详细介绍 Flakes 的使用,
请直接参考如下官方/半官方的文档。
- Nix Flakes 的官方文档:
- [Nix flakes - Nix Manual](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake)
- [Flakes - nix.dev](https://nix.dev/concepts/flakes)
- Eelco Dolstra Nix 的创造者)的一系列关于 Flakes 的文章:
- [Nix Flakes, Part 1: An introduction and tutorial (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-05-25-flakes/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 2: Evaluation caching (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-06-25-eval-cache/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 3: Managing NixOS systems (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-07-31-nixos-flakes/)
- 其他可能有用的文档:
- [Practical Nix Flakes](https://serokell.io/blog/practical-nix-flakes)
## Flakes 何时会成为稳定特性? {#when-will-flakes-stablized}

View file

@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
# Flakes 的组合能力与 Nixpkgs Module 系统
## Nixpkgs Module 结构的简单介绍 {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-module-structure}
> 在后面的 [模块化 NixOS 配置](./modularize-the-configuration.md) 一节中会详细介绍这套模块
> 系统的工作方式,这里只介绍些基础知识。
为什么 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 这个配置文件会符合 Nixpkgs Module 定义,从而能直接在
`flake.nix` 中引用它呢?可能会有读者觉得这有点出乎意料。
这实际是因为 Nixpkgs 中包含了大量 NixOS 的实现源码,这些源码大都使用 Nix 语言编写。为了编
写维护如此多的 Nix 代码,并且使用户能灵活地自定义其 NixOS 系统的各项功能,就必须要有一套
Nix 代码的模块化系统。
这套 Nix 代码的模块系统的实现也同样在 Nixpkgs 仓库中,它主要被用于 NixOS 系统配置的模块
化,但也有其他的应用,比如 nix-darwin 跟 home-manager 都大量使用了这套模块系统。
既然 NixOS 是基于这套模块系统构建的,那它的配置文件(包括 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`
是一个Nixpkgs Module也就显得非常自然了。
在学习后面的内容之前,我们需要先简单了解下这套模块系统的工作方式。
一个简化的 Nixpkgs Module 结构如下:
```nix
{lib, config, options, pkgs, ...}:
{
# 导入其他 Modules
imports = [
# ......
# ./xxx.nix
];
for.bar.enable = true;
# other options declarations
# ...
}
```
可以看到它的定义实际是一个 Nix 函数,该函数有 5 个**由模块系统自动生成、自动注入、无需额外
声明的参数**
1. `lib`: **nixpkgs 自带的函数库,提供了许多操作 Nix 表达式的实用函数**
- 详见 <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#id-1.4>
2. `config`: 包含了当前环境中所有 option 的值,在后面学习模块系统时会大量使用它
3. `options`: 当前环境中所有 Modules 中定义的所有 options 的集合
4. `pkgs`: **一个包含所有 nixpkgs 包的集合,它也提供了许多相关的工具函数**
- 入门阶段可以认为它的默认值为 `nixpkgs.legacyPackages."${system}"`,可通过
`nixpkgs.pkgs` 这个 option 来自定义 `pkgs` 的值
5. `modulesPath`: 一个只在 NixOS 中可用的参数,是一个 Path指向
[nixpkgs/nixos/modules](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/modules)
- 它在
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43)
中被定义
- 通常被用于导入一些额外的 NixOS 模块NixOS 自动生成的 `hardware-configuration.nix`
基本都能看到它
## 传递非默认参数到模块系统中 {#pass-non-default-parameters-to-submodules}
而如果你需要将其他非默认参数传递到子模块,就需要使用一些特殊手段手动指定这些非默认参数。
Nixpkgs 的模块系统提供了两种方式来传递非默认参数:
1. `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的 `specialArgs` 参数
1. 在任一 Module 中使用 `_module.args` 这个 option 来传递参数
这两个参数的官方文档藏得很深,而且语焉不详、晦涩难懂。读者感兴趣的话我把链接放在这里:
1. `specialArgs`: NixOS Manual 跟 Nixpkgs Manual 中分别有与它有关的只言片语
- Nixpkgs Manual: [Module System - Nixpkgs]
- NixOS Manual:
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]
1. `_module.args`:
- NixOS Manual:
[Appendix A. Configuration Options](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options#opt-_module.args)
- Source Code: [nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]
总之,`specialArgs` 与 `_module.args` 需要的值都是一个 attribute set它们的功能也相同
是将其 attribute set 中的所有参数传递到所有子模块中。这两者的区别在于:
1. 在任何 Module 中都能使用 `_module.args` 这个 option通过它互相传递参数这要比只能在
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数中使用的 `specialArgs` 更灵活。
1. `_module.args` 是在 Module 中声明使用的,因此必须在所有 Modules 都已经被求值后,才能使
用它。这导致**如果你在 `imports = [ ... ];` 中使用 `_module.args` 传递的参数,会报错
`infinite recursion`,这种场景下你必须改用 `specialArgs` 才行**。
NixOS 社区比较推荐优先使用 `_module.args` 这个 options仅在无法使用 `_module.args` 时才改
`specialArgs`
假设你想将某个依赖项传递到子模块中使用,可以使用 `specialArgs` 参数将 `inputs` 传递到所有
子模块中:
```nix{13}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
# 将所有 inputs 参数设为所有子模块的特殊参数,
# 这样就能直接在子模块中使用 inputs 中的所有依赖项了
specialArgs = { inherit inputs;};
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
或者使用 `_module.args` 这个 option 也能达成同样的效果:
```nix{15}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
{
# 将所有 inputs 参数设为所有子模块的特殊参数,
# 这样就能直接在子模块中使用 inputs 中的所有依赖项了
_module.args = { inherit inputs; };
}
];
};
};
}
```
选择上述两种方式之一修改你的配置,然后在 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 中就可以使用
`inputs` 这个参数了,模块系统会自动匹配到 `specialArgs` 中定义的 `inputs`,并将其注入到所
有需要该参数的子模块中:
```nix{3}
# Nix 会通过名称匹配,
# 自动将 specialArgs/_module.args 中的 inputs 注入到此函数的第三个参数
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
# 然后我们就能在这下面使用 inputs 这个参数了
{
# ......
}
```
下一节将演示如何使用 `specialArgs`/`_module.args` 来从其他 flake 来源安装系统软件。
## 从其他 flakes 安装系统软件 {#install-system-packages-from-other-flakes}
管系统最常见的需求就是装软件,我们在上一节已经见识过如何通过 `environment.systemPackages`
来安装 `pkgs` 中的包,这些包都来自官方的 nixpkgs 仓库。
现在我们学习下如何安装其他 flake 来源的软件包,这比直接从 nixpkgs 安装要灵活很多,最主要的
用途是安装 Nixpkgs 中还未添加或未更新的某软件的最新版本。
以 [helix](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix) 编辑器为例,这里演示下如何直接编译安装
helix 的 master 分支。
首先在 `flake.nix` 中添加 helix 这个 inputs 数据源:
```nix{6,12,18}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
# helix editor, use the master branch
helix.url = "github:helix-editor/helix/master";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
specialArgs = { inherit inputs;};
modules = [
./configuration.nix
# 如下 Module 与前面的 `specialArgs` 参数功能完全一致
# 选择其中一种即可
# { _module.args = { inherit inputs; };}
];
};
};
}
```
接下来在 `configuration.nix` 中就能引用这个 flake input 数据源了:
```nix{1,10}
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# 省略无关配置......
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
git
vim
wget
curl
# 这里从 helix 这个 inputs 数据源安装了 helix 程序
inputs.helix.packages."${pkgs.system}".helix
];
# 省略其他配置......
}
```
改好后再 `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 部署,就能安装好 Helix 程序了。这次部署用时会比以往长
挺多,因为 Nix 会从源码编译整个 Helix 程序。
部署完毕后,可直接在终端使用 `hx` 命令测试验证。
另外,如果你只是想尝试一下 Helix 的最新版本,再决定要不要真正地将它安装到系统里,有更简单
的办法,一行命令就行(但如前所述,源码编译会很费时间):
```bash
nix run github:helix-editor/helix/master
```
我们会在后面的 [新一代 Nix 命令行工具的使用](../other-usage-of-flakes/the-new-cli.md) 中详
细介绍 `nix run` 的用法。
## 使用其他 Flakes 包提供的功能
其实这才是 Flakes 最主要的功能,一个 Flake 可以依赖其他 Flakes从而使用它们提供的功能——就
如同我们在写 TypeScript/Go/Rust 等程序时使用其他 Library 提供的功能一样。
上面使用 Helix 的官方 Flake 中提供的最新版本就是一个例子,其他更多的用例会在后面提到,这里
引用几个后面会讲的例子:
- [Getting Started with Home Manager](./start-using-home-manager.md): 这里引入了社区的
Home-Manager 作为依赖项,从而能直接使用该 Flake 提供的功能。
- [Downgrading or Upgrading Packages](./downgrade-or-upgrade-packages.md): 这里引入了不同
版本的 Nixpkgs 作为依赖项,从而能很灵活地选用不同版本的 Nixpkgs 中的包。
## 其他 Flakes 学习资料
到此为止,我们已经学习了如何使用 Flakes 来配置 NixOS 系统。
如果你对 Flakes 还有更多的疑问,或者想深入学习,请直接参考如下官方/半官方的文档。
- Nix Flakes 的官方文档:
- [Nix flakes - Nix Manual](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake)
- [Flakes - nix.dev](https://nix.dev/concepts/flakes)
- Eelco Dolstra Nix 的创造者)的一系列关于 Flakes 的文章:
- [Nix Flakes, Part 1: An introduction and tutorial (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-05-25-flakes/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 2: Evaluation caching (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-06-25-eval-cache/)
- [Nix Flakes, Part 3: Managing NixOS systems (Eelco Dolstra, 2020)](https://www.tweag.io/blog/2020-07-31-nixos-flakes/)
- 其他可能有用的文档:
- [Practical Nix Flakes](https://serokell.io/blog/practical-nix-flakes)
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix
[Module System - Nixpkgs]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/23.11/doc/module-system/module-system.chapter.md
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix#L122-L184
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md?plain=1#L237-L244

View file

@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
# `flake.nix` 配置详解 {#flake-nix-configuration-explained}
上面我们创建了一个 `flake.nix` 文件并通过它来管理系统配置,但你对它的结构还是一头雾水,下
面我们来详细解释一下这个文件的内容。
### 1. flake inputs
首先看看其中的 `inputs` 属性,它是一个 attribute set其中定义了这个 flake 的所有依赖项,
这些依赖项会在被拉取后,作为参数传递给 `outputs` 函数:
```nix{2-5,7}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# 省略掉前面的配置......
};
}
```
`inputs` 中的每一项依赖有许多类型与定义方式,可以是另一个 flake也可以是一个普通的 Git 仓
库,又或者一个本地路径。
[Flakes 的其他玩法 - Flake 的 inputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/inputs.md) 中详细介绍了常见
的依赖项类型与定义方式。
这里我们只定义了 `nixpkgs` 这一个依赖项,使用的是 flake 中最常见的引用方式,即
`github:owner/name/reference`,这里的 `reference` 可以是分支名、commit-id 或 tag。
`nixpkgs``inputs` 中被定义后,就可以在后面的 `outputs` 函数的参数中使用此依赖项中的内
容了,我们的示例中正是这么干的。
### 2. flake outputs
再来看看 `outputs`,它是一个以 `inputs` 中的依赖项为参数的函数,函数的返回值是一个
attribute set这个返回的 attribute set 即为该 flake 的构建结果:
```nix{10-18}
{
description = "A simple NixOS flake";
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# hostname 为 my-nixos 的主机会使用这个配置
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
flake 有很多的用途,也可以有很多不同类型的
outputs[Flake 的 outputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/outputs.md) 一节有更详细的介绍。这里
我们只用到了 `nixosConfigurations` 这一类型的 outputs它用于配置 NixOS 系统。
在我们运行 `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 命令时,它会从 `/etc/nixos/flake.nix``outputs`
函数返回值中查找 `nixosConfigurations.my-nixos` (其中的 `my-nixos` 将会是你当前系统的
hostname这一属性并使用其中的定义来配置你的 NixOS 系统。
实际我们也可以自定义 flake 的位置与 NixOS 配置的名称,而不是使用默认值。只需要在
`nixos-rebuild` 命令后面添加 `--flake` 参数即可,一个例子:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname
```
上述命令中的 `--flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname` 参数简要说明如下:
1. `/path/to/your/flake` 为目标 flake 的位置,默认会使用 `/etc/nixos/` 这个路径。
2. `#` 是一个分隔符,其后的 `your-hostname` 则是 NixOS 配置的名称。`nixos-rebuild` 默认会
以你当前系统的 hostname 为配置名称进行查找。
你甚至能直接引用一个远程的 GitHub 仓库作为你的 flake 来源,示例如下:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake github:owner/repo#your-hostname
```
### 3. `outputs` 函数的特殊参数 `self` {#special-parameter-self-of-outputs-function}
虽然我们前面并未提到,但是前面的所有示例代码中,`outputs` 函数都还有一个特殊的参数
`self`,这里我们简单介绍一下它的作用。
[nix flake - Nix Manual] 对其的描述是:
> The special input named `self` refers to the outputs and source tree of this flake.
所以说 `self` 是当前 flake 的 `outputs` 函数的返回值,同时也是当前 flake 源码的文件夹路径
source tree
这里我们并未使用到 `self` 这个参数,在后面一些更复杂的例子(或者你网上搜
到的一些配置)中,我们会看到 `self` 的用法。
> 注意:你可能会在一些代码中看到,有人会使用 `self.outputs` 来引用当前 flake 的输出,这
> 确实是可行的,但 Nix Manual 并未对其做任何说明,属于是 flake 的内部实现细节,不建议在
> 你自己的代码中使用!
### 4. `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的简单介绍 {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-lib-nixos-system}
**一个 Flake 可以依赖其他 Flakes从而使用它们提供的功能**。
默认情况下,一个 flake 会在其每个依赖项(即 `inputs` 中的每一项)的根目录下寻找
`flake.nix` 文件并**懒惰求值**lazy evaluation它们的 `outputs` 函数,接着将这些函数返回
的 attribute sets 作为参数传递给它自身的 `outputs` 函数,这样我们就能在当前 flake 中使用它
所依赖的其他 flakes 提供的功能了。
更精确地说,对每个依赖项的 `outputs` 函数的求值都是懒惰lazy也就是说一个 flake 的
`outputs` 函数只有在被真正使用到的时候才会被求值,这样就能避免不必要的计算,从而提高效率。
上面的描述可能有点绕,我们还是结合本节中使用的 `flake.nix` 示例来看看这个过程。我们的
`flake.nix` 声明了 `inputs.nixpkgs` 这个依赖项,因此 [nixpkgs/flake.nix] 会在我们执行
`sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 这个命令时被求值。从 Nixpkgs 仓库的源码中能看到它的 flake
outputs 定义中有返回 `lib` 这个属性,我们的例子中就使用了 `lib` 属性中的 `nixosSystem`
个函数来配置我们的 NixOS 系统:
```nix{8-13}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 后面跟的 attribute set 就是该函数的参数,我们这里只设置了两个参
数:
1. `system`: 这个很好懂,就是系统架构参数。
2. `modules`: 此函数是一个 modules 的列表NixOS 的实际系统配置都定义在这些 modules 中。
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 这个配置文件本身就是一个 Nixpkgs Module因此可以直接将其添
加到 `modules` 列表中使用。
新手阶段了解这些就足够了,探究 `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的具体实现需要对 Nixpkgs 的模
块系统有一定的了解。读者可以在学习了
[模块化 NixOS 配置](./modularize-the-configuration.md) 一节后,再回过头来从
[nixpkgs/flake.nix] 中找到 `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 的定义,跟踪它的源码,研究其实现方
式。
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config.nix
[Module System - Nixpkgs]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/23.11/doc/module-system/module-system.chapter.md
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix#L122-L184
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]:
https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md?plain=1#L237-L244

View file

@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
# 使用 Flakes 来管理你的 NixOS
## 启用 NixOS 的 Flakes 支持 {#enable-nix-flakes}
与 NixOS 当前默认的配置方式相比Flakes 提供了更好的可复现性,同时它清晰的包结构定义原生支
持了以其他 Git 仓库为依赖,便于代码分享,因此本书更建议使用 Flakes 来管理系统配置。
目前 Flakes 作为一个实验特性,仍未被默认启用,我们需要手动修改
本节我们介绍如何使用 Flakes 来管理 NixOS 系统配置,**阅读本节内容不需要提前对 Flakes 有任
何了解**。
## 启用 NixOS 的 Flakes 支持 {#enable-nix-flakes}
目前 Flakes 作为一个实验特性,仍未被默认启用,因此我们需要先手动修改
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 文件,启用 Flakes 特性以及配套的船新 nix 命令行工具:
```nix{12,15}
@ -103,9 +106,14 @@ cat flake.nix
- `/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix`: 这是系统硬件配置文件,由 NixOS 生成,描述了系统
的硬件信息
到这里为止, `/etc/nixos/flake.nix` 仅仅是 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 的一个 thin
wrapper它自身并没有提供任何新的功能也没有引入任何破坏性的变更。在本书后面的内容中
们会逐渐看到这样一个 wrapper 带来了哪些好处。
## 总结 {#conclusion}
本节中我们添加了一个非常简单的配置文件 `/etc/nixos/flake.nix`,它仅仅是
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 的一个 thin wrapper它自身并没有提供任何新的功能也没有引
入任何破坏性的变更。
在本书后面的内容中,我们会学习了解 `flake.nix` 的结构与功能,并逐渐看到这样一个 wrapper 能
为我们带来哪些好处。
> 注意:**本书描述的配置管理方式并非「Everything in a single file」更推荐将配置内容分门
> 别类地存放到不同的 nix 文件中**,然后在 `flake.nix``modules` 参数列表中引入这些配置
@ -114,402 +122,6 @@ wrapper它自身并没有提供任何新的功能也没有引入任何破
> 你的 NixOS 配置,[其他实用技巧 - 使用 Git 管理 NixOS 配置](./other-useful-tips.md) 将会
> 介绍几种使用 Git 管理 NixOS 配置的最佳实践。
## `flake.nix` 配置详解 {#flake-nix-configuration-explained}
上面我们创建了一个 `flake.nix` 文件并通过它来管理系统配置,但你对它的结构还是一头雾水,下
面我们来详细解释一下这个文件的内容。
### 1. flake inputs
首先看看其中的 `inputs` 属性,它是一个 attribute set其中定义了这个 flake 的所有依赖项,
这些依赖项会在被拉取后,作为参数传递给 `outputs` 函数:
```nix{2-5,7}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# 省略掉前面的配置......
};
}
```
`inputs` 中的每一项依赖有许多类型与定义方式,可以是另一个 flake也可以是一个普通的 Git 仓
库,又或者一个本地路径。
[Flakes 的其他玩法 - Flake 的 inputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/inputs.md) 中详细介绍了常见
的依赖项类型与定义方式。
这里我们只定义了 `nixpkgs` 这一个依赖项,使用的是 flake 中最常见的引用方式,即
`github:owner/name/reference`,这里的 `reference` 可以是分支名、commit-id 或 tag。
`nixpkgs``inputs` 中被定义后,就可以在后面的 `outputs` 函数的参数中使用此依赖项中的内
容了,我们的示例中正是这么干的。
### 2. flake outputs
再来看看 `outputs`,它是一个以 `inputs` 中的依赖项为参数的函数,函数的返回值是一个
attribute set这个返回的 attribute set 即为该 flake 的构建结果:
```nix{10-18}
{
description = "A simple NixOS flake";
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
# hostname 为 my-nixos 的主机会使用这个配置
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
flake 有很多的用途,也可以有很多不同类型的
outputs[Flake 的 outputs](../other-usage-of-flakes/outputs.md) 一节有更详细的介绍。这里
我们只用到了 `nixosConfigurations` 这一类型的 outputs它用于配置 NixOS 系统。
在我们运行 `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 命令时,它会从 `/etc/nixos/flake.nix``outputs`
函数返回值中查找 `nixosConfigurations.my-nixos` (其中的 `my-nixos` 将会是你当前系统的
hostname这一属性并使用其中的定义来配置你的 NixOS 系统。
实际我们也可以自定义 flake 的位置与 NixOS 配置的名称,而不是使用默认值。只需要在
`nixos-rebuild` 命令后面添加 `--flake` 参数即可,一个例子:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname
```
上述命令中的 `--flake /path/to/your/flake#your-hostname` 参数简要说明如下:
1. `/path/to/your/flake` 为目标 flake 的位置,默认会使用 `/etc/nixos/` 这个路径。
2. `#` 是一个分隔符,其后的 `your-hostname` 则是 NixOS 配置的名称。`nixos-rebuild` 默认会
以你当前系统的 hostname 为配置名称进行查找。
你甚至能直接引用一个远程的 GitHub 仓库作为你的 flake 来源,示例如下:
```nix
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake github:owner/repo#your-hostname
```
### 3. `outputs` 函数的特殊参数 `self` {#special-parameter-self-of-outputs-function}
虽然我们前面并未提到,但是前面的所有示例代码中,`outputs` 函数都还有一个特殊的参数
`self`,这里我们简单介绍一下它的作用。
[nix flake - Nix Manual] 对其的描述是:
> The special input named `self` refers to the outputs and source tree of this flake.
所以说 `self` 是当前 flake 的 `outputs` 函数的返回值,同时也是当前 flake 源码的文件夹路径
source tree
这里我们并未使用到 `self` 这个参数,在后面一些更复杂的例子(或者你网上搜
到的一些配置)中,我们会看到 `self` 的用法。
> 注意:你可能会在一些代码中看到,有人会使用 `self.outputs` 来引用当前 flake 的输出,这
> 确实是可行的,但 Nix Manual 并未对其做任何说明,属于是 flake 的内部实现细节,不建议在
> 你自己的代码中使用!
### 4. `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的简单介绍 {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-lib-nixos-system}
**一个 Flake 可以依赖其他 Flakes从而使用它们提供的功能**。
默认情况下,一个 flake 会在其每个依赖项(即 `inputs` 中的每一项)的根目录下寻找
`flake.nix` 文件并**懒惰求值**lazy evaluation它们的 `outputs` 函数,接着将这些函数返回
的 attribute sets 作为参数传递给它自身的 `outputs` 函数,这样我们就能在当前 flake 中使用它
所依赖的其他 flakes 提供的功能了。
更精确地说,对每个依赖项的 `outputs` 函数的求值都是懒惰lazy也就是说一个 flake 的
`outputs` 函数只有在被真正使用到的时候才会被求值,这样就能避免不必要的计算,从而提高效率。
上面的描述可能有点绕,我们还是结合本节中使用的 `flake.nix` 示例来看看这个过程。我们的
`flake.nix` 声明了 `inputs.nixpkgs` 这个依赖项,因此 [nixpkgs/flake.nix] 会在我们执行
`sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 这个命令时被求值。从 Nixpkgs 仓库的源码中能看到它的 flake
outputs 定义中有返回 `lib` 这个属性,我们的例子中就使用了 `lib` 属性中的 `nixosSystem`
个函数来配置我们的 NixOS 系统:
```nix{8-13}
{
inputs = {
# NixOS 官方软件源,这里使用 nixos-23.11 分支
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
};
outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 后面跟的 attribute set 就是该函数的参数,我们这里只设置了两个参
数:
1. `system`: 这个很好懂,就是系统架构参数。
2. `modules`: 此函数是一个 modules 的列表NixOS 的实际系统配置都定义在这些 modules 中。
`/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 这个配置文件本身就是一个 Nixpkgs Module因此可以直接将其添
加到 `modules` 列表中使用。
新手阶段了解这些就足够了,探究 `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的具体实现需要对 Nixpkgs 的模
块系统有一定的了解。读者可以在学习了
[模块化 NixOS 配置](./modularize-the-configuration.md) 一节后,再回过头来从
[nixpkgs/flake.nix] 中找到 `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 的定义,跟踪它的源码,研究其实现方
式。
## Nixpkgs Module 结构的简单介绍 {#simple-introduction-to-nixpkgs-module-structure}
> 在后面的 [模块化 NixOS 配置](./modularize-the-configuration.md) 一节中会详细介绍这套模块
> 系统的工作方式,这里只介绍些基础知识。
为什么 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 这个配置文件会符合 Nixpkgs Module 定义,从而能直接在
`flake.nix` 中引用它呢?可能会有读者觉得这有点出乎意料。
这实际是因为 Nixpkgs 中包含了大量 NixOS 的实现源码,这些源码大都使用 Nix 语言编写。为了编
写维护如此多的 Nix 代码,并且使用户能灵活地自定义其 NixOS 系统的各项功能,就必须要有一套
Nix 代码的模块化系统。
这套 Nix 代码的模块系统的实现也同样在 Nixpkgs 仓库中,它主要被用于 NixOS 系统配置的模块
化,但也有其他的应用,比如 nix-darwin 跟 home-manager 都大量使用了这套模块系统。
既然 NixOS 是基于这套模块系统构建的,那它的配置文件(包括 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`
是一个Nixpkgs Module也就显得非常自然了。
在学习后面的内容之前,我们需要先简单了解下这套模块系统的工作方式。
一个简化的 Nixpkgs Module 结构如下:
```nix
{lib, config, options, pkgs, ...}:
{
# 导入其他 Modules
imports = [
# ......
# ./xxx.nix
];
for.bar.enable = true;
# other options declarations
# ...
}
```
可以看到它的定义实际是一个 Nix 函数,该函数有 5 个**由模块系统自动生成、自动注入、无需额外
声明的参数**
1. `lib`: **nixpkgs 自带的函数库,提供了许多操作 Nix 表达式的实用函数**
- 详见 <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#id-1.4>
2. `config`: 包含了当前环境中所有 option 的值,在后面学习模块系统时会大量使用它
3. `options`: 当前环境中所有 Modules 中定义的所有 options 的集合
4. `pkgs`: **一个包含所有 nixpkgs 包的集合,它也提供了许多相关的工具函数**
- 入门阶段可以认为它的默认值为 `nixpkgs.legacyPackages."${system}"`,可通过
`nixpkgs.pkgs` 这个 option 来自定义 `pkgs` 的值
5. `modulesPath`: 一个只在 NixOS 中可用的参数,是一个 Path指向
[nixpkgs/nixos/modules](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/nixos/modules)
- 它在
[nixpkgs/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-23.11/nixos/lib/eval-config-minimal.nix#L43)
中被定义
- 通常被用于导入一些额外的 NixOS 模块NixOS 自动生成的 `hardware-configuration.nix`
基本都能看到它
## 传递非默认参数到模块系统中 {#pass-non-default-parameters-to-submodules}
而如果你需要将其他非默认参数传递到子模块,就需要使用一些特殊手段手动指定这些非默认参数。
Nixpkgs 的模块系统提供了两种方式来传递非默认参数:
1. `nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数的 `specialArgs` 参数
1. 在任一 Module 中使用 `_module.args` 这个 option 来传递参数
这两个参数的官方文档藏得很深,而且语焉不详、晦涩难懂。读者感兴趣的话我把链接放在这里:
1. `specialArgs`: NixOS Manual 跟 Nixpkgs Manual 中分别有与它有关的只言片语
- Nixpkgs Manual: [Module System - Nixpkgs]
- NixOS Manual:
[nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.section.md#L237-L244]
1. `_module.args`:
- NixOS Manual:
[Appendix A. Configuration Options](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options#opt-_module.args)
- Source Code: [nixpkgs/nixos-23.11/lib/modules.nix - _module.args]
总之,`specialArgs` 与 `_module.args` 需要的值都是一个 attribute set它们的功能也相同
是将其 attribute set 中的所有参数传递到所有子模块中。这两者的区别在于:
1. 在任何 Module 中都能使用 `_module.args` 这个 option通过它互相传递参数这要比只能在
`nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem` 函数中使用的 `specialArgs` 更灵活。
1. `_module.args` 是在 Module 中声明使用的,因此必须在所有 Modules 都已经被求值后,才能使
用它。这导致**如果你在 `imports = [ ... ];` 中使用 `_module.args` 传递的参数,会报错
`infinite recursion`,这种场景下你必须改用 `specialArgs` 才行**。
NixOS 社区比较推荐优先使用 `_module.args` 这个 options仅在无法使用 `_module.args` 时才改
`specialArgs`
假设你想将某个依赖项传递到子模块中使用,可以使用 `specialArgs` 参数将 `inputs` 传递到所有
子模块中:
```nix{13}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
# 将所有 inputs 参数设为所有子模块的特殊参数,
# 这样就能直接在子模块中使用 inputs 中的所有依赖项了
specialArgs = { inherit inputs;};
modules = [
./configuration.nix
];
};
};
}
```
或者使用 `_module.args` 这个 option 也能达成同样的效果:
```nix{15}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
another-input.url = "github:username/repo-name/branch-name";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, another-input, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
modules = [
./configuration.nix
{
# 将所有 inputs 参数设为所有子模块的特殊参数,
# 这样就能直接在子模块中使用 inputs 中的所有依赖项了
_module.args = { inherit inputs; };
}
];
};
};
}
```
选择上述两种方式之一修改你的配置,然后在 `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix` 中就可以使用
`inputs` 这个参数了,模块系统会自动匹配到 `specialArgs` 中定义的 `inputs`,并将其注入到所
有需要该参数的子模块中:
```nix{3}
# Nix 会通过名称匹配,
# 自动将 specialArgs/_module.args 中的 inputs 注入到此函数的第三个参数
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
# 然后我们就能在这下面使用 inputs 这个参数了
{
# ......
}
```
下一节将演示如何使用 `specialArgs`/`_module.args` 来从其他 flake 来源安装系统软件。
## 从其他 flake 来源安装系统软件 {#install-system-packages-from-other-flakes}
管系统最常见的需求就是装软件,我们在上一节已经见识过如何通过 `environment.systemPackages`
来安装 `pkgs` 中的包,这些包都来自官方的 nixpkgs 仓库。
现在我们学习下如何安装其他 flake 来源的软件包,这比直接从 nixpkgs 安装要灵活很多,最主要的
用途是安装 Nixpkgs 中还未添加或未更新的某软件的最新版本。
以 [helix](https://github.com/helix-editor/helix) 编辑器为例,这里演示下如何直接编译安装
helix 的 master 分支。
首先在 `flake.nix` 中添加 helix 这个 inputs 数据源:
```nix{6,12,18}
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
# helix editor, use the master branch
helix.url = "github:helix-editor/helix/master";
};
outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, ... }: {
nixosConfigurations.my-nixos = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
system = "x86_64-linux";
specialArgs = { inherit inputs;};
modules = [
./configuration.nix
# 如下 Module 与前面的 `specialArgs` 参数功能完全一致
# 选择其中一种即可
# { _module.args = { inherit inputs; };}
];
};
};
}
```
接下来在 `configuration.nix` 中就能引用这个 flake input 数据源了:
```nix{1,10}
{ config, pkgs, inputs, ... }:
{
# 省略无关配置......
environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
git
vim
wget
curl
# 这里从 helix 这个 inputs 数据源安装了 helix 程序
inputs.helix.packages."${pkgs.system}".helix
];
# 省略其他配置......
}
```
改好后再 `sudo nixos-rebuild switch` 部署,就能安装好 Helix 程序了。这次部署用时会比以往长
挺多,因为 Nix 会从源码编译整个 Helix 程序。
部署完毕后,可直接在终端使用 `hx` 命令测试验证。
另外,如果你只是想尝试一下 Helix 的最新版本,再决定要不要真正地将它安装到系统里,有更简单
的办法,一行命令就行(但如前所述,源码编译会很费时间):
```bash
nix run github:helix-editor/helix/master
```
我们会在后面的 [新一代 Nix 命令行工具的使用](../other-usage-of-flakes/the-new-cli.md) 中详
细介绍 `nix run` 的用法。
## 使用其他 Flakes 包提供的功能
其实这才是 Flakes 最主要的功能,一个 Flake 可以依赖其他 Flakes从而使用它们提供的功能——就
如同我们在写 TypeScript/Go/Rust 等程序时使用其他 Library 提供的功能一样。
上面使用 Helix 的官方 Flake 中提供的最新版本就是一个例子,其他更多的用例会在后面提到,这里
引用几个后面会讲的例子:
- [Getting Started with Home Manager](./start-using-home-manager.md): 这里引入了社区的
Home-Manager 作为依赖项,从而能直接使用该 Flake 提供的功能。
- [Downgrading or Upgrading Packages](./downgrade-or-upgrade-packages.md): 这里引入了不同
版本的 Nixpkgs 作为依赖项,从而能很灵活地选用不同版本的 Nixpkgs 中的包。
[nix flake - Nix Manual]:
https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake#flake-inputs
[nixpkgs/flake.nix]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/nixos-23.11/flake.nix