Nix Learning Journal¶
Learning NixOS on a laptop, coming from a strong Linux background.
This is a personal study journal — not a polished tutorial. It captures what we've read, understood, and tried, with references to real-world configs for context.
Study Material¶
We're learning by reading two real configs in the vendor/ directory:
| Config | Who | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
dotfiles-main |
Ian Gray — Marcus's friend | Simple single-machine NixOS + Home Manager on a Framework 13. Good starting point. |
nix-config-main |
Wimpy — Linux Matters podcast | Advanced multi-machine NixOS + macOS. The broadcast-and-gate pattern at scale. |
Where to Start¶
If you're new to Nix, go in order:
- What is Nix — core concepts, the Nix store, how it differs from traditional Linux
- Flakes — the entry point of any modern NixOS config
- NixOS vs Home Manager — what lives at the system level vs. user level
Then read the config tours to see these concepts in practice, and use the how-to guides when you need to do something specific.
Quick Reference¶
# Apply NixOS system config
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#hostname --show-trace
# Apply Home Manager config
home-manager switch --flake .#username --show-trace
# Update all flake inputs (nixpkgs, home-manager, etc.)
nix flake update
# Roll back if something breaks
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --rollback
# Try a package without installing it
nix shell nixpkgs#packagename
# Search for packages
nix search nixpkgs name
About This Site¶
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