NixOS and the case for declarative configuration
All at Once
© Lead Image © Sergey Lavrentev, 123RF.com
The innovative NixOS makes it easy to test and deploy new configurations – on the hardware and in the cloud
Linux distribution updates always come with a certain risk. Will all the configured services still work after the upgrade? Or, has a daemon once again changed the format of its configuration files so that the program fails to launch? Most Linux distributions are at least smart enough to avoid overwriting user-modified config files, but a defined upgrade path, which ensures the operation of the upgraded system, usually is not available.
The Nix project [1] takes an alternative approach. A Nix system is fundamentally different from normal Linux distributions. The system state is set declaratively, instead of imperatively. In other words, the complete system is defined all at once, rather than configured through a series of independent steps that each change the system state.
Nix consists of a special package manager, a package collection, a Linux distribution, and some other specialized tools. The instructions of the Nix package manager obey functional principles: an input state is entered in the function (the package manager), and the output is a new system state. Side effects are not allowed.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.
-
AerynOS Alpha Release Available
With a choice of several desktop environments, AerynOS 2025.08 is almost ready to be your next operating system.
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for more than two weeks.