What problems does Nix solve?

  • Reproducibility
  • Declarative Nature
  • Version Control - Rollback

Resources used for Understanding / Learning

https://evantravers.com/articles/2024/02/06/switching-to-nix-darwin-and-flakes/

TermDefinitionKey Purpose
NixA package manager and language for reproducible builds and deployments.Manage software packages and environments.
Nix FlakesAn extension to Nix adding a standardized format (flake.nix) and lock file for dependency pinning.Improve reproducibility and dependency management.
Nix-DarwinA set of Nix modules to configure macOS systems declaratively, built on top of Nix.Manage macOS system settings and packages.
  • Nix: The core tool. Installs packages and manages environments, works on any OS.
  • Nix Flakes: Adds structure and version locking to Nix projects, making them more consistent.
  • Nix-Darwin: Uses Nix to control macOS, like system configs and apps, similar to NixOS for Linux.

Reliable Configs

https://github.com/dustinlyons/nixos-config