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Nixnix

nix

tips

  • use ${pkgs.pkgname} to refer to the package path nix config

  • with home-manager, use home.sessionVariables  to set environment variables

to update nix darwin

go to ~/.config/nix-darwin/ , run nix flake update

references

I mainly followed ChatGPT for quick reference and

documentation

others

nix config reference

install Nix:the package manager

I use Option 2.

It installs Nix with flakes enabled by default. 

Option 1: Install Nix on macOS using the official installer

sh <(curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install)

Option 2: Install Nix on macOS using the Determinate Nix Installer

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf -L https://install.determinate.systems/nix | \
  sh -s -- install

After the installation, open another terminal and try this hello world. Have patient, it might takes a while.

nix run "nixpkgs#hello"
# Hello, world!

install flakes

Already installed with the Determinate Nix Installer.

install nix-darwin

create flake.nix

mkdir -p ~/.config/nix-darwin
cd ~/.config/nix-darwin
nix flake init -t nix-darwin
sed -i '' "s/simple/$(scutil --get LocalHostName)/" flake.nix

Open the created flake.nix, Change nixpkgs.hostPlatform to aarch64-darwin because I’m using Apple Silicon.

install nix-darwin

nix run nix-darwin -- switch --flake ~/.config/nix-darwin

using nix-darwin

Open a new terminal(or like me, open a new tab in iTerm2) and try this.

darwin-rebuild switch --flake ~/.config/nix-darwin

This will be the command you’ll see go through the rest of your life, treasure the moment you haven’t remember it yet.

update

# at ~/.config/nix-darwin
nix flake update

play with nix

remove vim and install neovim

find the package name in nixpkgs

Add the following Nix code to your NixOS Configuration, usually located in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix

  environment.systemPackages = [
    pkgs.neovim
  ];
# ~/.config/nix-darwin/flake.nix
...
environment.systemPackages = [
    # pkgs.vim # remove this 
    pkgs.neovim
];
  • https://github.com/sum-rock/SumAstroNvim 
    • Sum Rock’s AstroNvim Implementation This is an implementation of the AstroNvim configuration/plugin distribution for Neovim using Nix flakes.
    • maybe try it later
    • it is so difficult to use astronvim with nix, the former is download and it is working, the latter is configure everything.
# ~/.config/nix-darwin/flake.nix
# configuration = { pkgs, ... }: {
# add config after pkgs,
    configuration = { pkgs, config, ... }: {
# add pkgs.mkalias to systemPackages
    environment.systemPackages =
    [
        pkgs.mkalias
# add this too
# https://gist.github.com/elliottminns/211ef645ebd484eb9a5228570bb60ec3?permalink_comment_id=5271771#gistcomment-5271771
system.activationScripts.applications.text = let
  env = pkgs.buildEnv {
    name = "system-applications";
    paths = config.environment.systemPackages;
    pathsToLink = "/Applications";
  };
in
  pkgs.lib.mkForce ''
  # Set up applications.
  echo "setting up /Applications..." >&2
  rm -rf /Applications/Nix\ Apps
  mkdir -p /Applications/Nix\ Apps
  find ${env}/Applications -maxdepth 1 -type l -exec readlink '{}' + |
  while read -r src; do
    app_name=$(basename "$src")
    echo "copying $src" >&2
    ${pkgs.mkalias}/bin/mkalias "$src" "/Applications/Nix Apps/$app_name"
  done
      '';

install home-manager with flake

to make the vscode nix format work

install pkgs.nixfmt-rfc-style

add this to vscode config

    "nix.formatterPath": "/run/current-system/sw/bin/nixfmt"

set default shell to fish

To use iterm2 set command to fish might lost the PATH environment . Now use this workaround .

# in home-manager configuration
              programs.fish.enable = true;
in nix-darwin flake.nix
          programs.zsh = {
            enable = true;
            interactiveShellInit = ''
              if [[ $(${pkgs.procps}/bin/ps --no-header --pid=$PPID --format=comm) != "fish" && -z ''${BASH_EXECUTION_STRING} ]]
              then
                shopt -q login_shell && LOGIN_OPTION='--login' || LOGIN_OPTION=""
                exec ${pkgs.fish}/bin/fish $LOGIN_OPTION
              fi
            '';
          };

install app with homebrew

find the app name in homebrew formulae, add it to here

# ~/.config/nix-darwin/flake.nix
            casks = [
              "folx"
              "tailscale"
              "calibre"
              "the-unarchiver"
              "android-studio"
              "upscayl"
              "arc"
              # add to here
            ];

then run

darwin-rebuild switch --flake ~/.config/nix-darwin
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