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| '''Nixpkgs''' is the largest repository of [[Nix]] packages and [[NixOS]] modules. The repository is [https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs hosted on GitHub] and maintained by the community, with official backing from the [https://nixos.org NixOS Foundation]. | | <translate> |
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| | '''Nixpkgs''' is the largest repository of [[Nix]] packages and [[NixOS]] modules. The repository is [https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs hosted on GitHub] and maintained by the community, with official backing from the [[NixOS Foundation]]. |
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| == Channels ==
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| {{main|Nix Channels}}
| | To search among available packages and options, see [[Searching packages]]. |
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| The packages and modules hosted on Nixpkgs are sorted in various channels intended for various use-cases, and in practice are differentiated by the level of testing updates must pass on the official [https://nixos.org/hydra/manual/#idm140737315980672 nixos.org hydra instance] and the number of updates propagated to the channel.
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| | As highlighted in [https://nixos.org/blog/announcements/2024/nixos-2411/ the announcement] of the NixOS 24.11 release, ''"NixOS is already known as [https://repology.org/repositories/statistics/newest the most up to date distribution] while also being [https://repology.org/repositories/statistics/total the distribution with the most packages]."'' This is thanks to the community's continued dedication to making Nixpkgs the preeminent Linux package repository. |
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| For [[Nix]] users, <code>nixpkgs-unstable</code> is the bleeding-edge, where packages pass only basic build tests and are upgraded continuously.
| | == Subpages == <!--T:4--> |
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| For [[NixOS]] users, <code>nixos-unstable</code> is the bleeding-edge, where packages pass build tests and integration tests on a VM, and are tested from the perspective of being an operative system (this means things like the X server, KDE, various servers, and lower level details like installing bootloaders and runnning the nixos installation steps are also tested).
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| | | There are a number of articles especially related to working with <tt>nixpkgs</tt>: |
| Both [[Nix]] and [[NixOS]] users can use stable channels - the latest being <code>nixos-18.03</code> - to receive only conservative updates for fixing critical bugs and security vulnerabilities.
| | {{Special:PrefixIndex/{{FULLPAGENAME}}/ |hideredirects=1 |stripprefix=1}} |
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| For more information on channels and how to select the appropriate channel for your purposes, see the [[Nix Channels]] article.
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| == Contributing ==
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| Development in NixOS primarily driven by the work in [https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs nixpkgs on github]. This repository contains both all packages available in your NixOS channel and all the options you can use for configuring your system with your <code>configuration.nix</code>. To get your text editor to recognize Nix expressions, consider installing a Nix [[Editor Modes for Nix Files]].
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| === Report issues ===
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| Any issue can be reported in the nixpkgs issue-tracker [https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs/issues on github]. Keep in mind that all work on nixpkgs is being done by volunteers and you cannot expect a quick response and solution for all problems you may face. In general Pull-Requests have a much shorter round-trip-time.
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| === Create pull requests ===
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| If you want to see your package being provided by a channel, creating an issue will most likely not enough. It is up to you to create a [[Contributing to Nixpkgs|nix package description]] in Nixpkgs and create a pull request in the Nixpkgs repository. Pull requests are a way to tell a github project that you've created some changes, which maintainers can easily review, comment on and, and finally merge into the repository.
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| Here's how to create a pull request on GitHub:
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| ==== Fork Nixpkgs on Github ==== | |
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| Create a GitHub account and fork nixpkgs/nixos/... repository.
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| ==== Add a remote ====
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| On your host, create a new remote location:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
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| # add your github clone as remote location:
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| YOUR_GITHUB_NAME=fill-in
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| git remote add $YOUR_GITHUB_NAME git@github.com:$YOUR_GITHUB_NAME/nixpkgs.git
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| </syntaxhighlight>
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| ==== Hack Nixpkgs ==== | | == Releases == <!--T:6--> |
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| Make any modifications you want to your local copy of the repository, then build the package with: <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix-build -A $yourpackage -I nixpkgs=/path/to/local/nixpkgs</syntaxhighlight>
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| | {{main|Channel branches}} |
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| The output of your build will be located under the <code>result/</code> subdirectory. Try running the freshly built binaries in <code>result/bin</code> and check that everything is OK. | | <!--T:8--> |
| | The packages and modules hosted on Nixpkgs are distributed through various [[channel branches]] intended for particular use-cases. In practice they are differentiated by the level of testing updates must pass on the official [https://nixos.org/hydra/manual/#idm140737315980672 nixos.org Hydra instance] and the number of updates they receive. |
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| To test the changes on a NixOS machine, rebuild the system using your newly hacked Nixpkgs by executing:
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| | For [[NixOS]] users, <code>nixos-unstable</code> channel branch is the rolling release, where packages pass build tests and [[NixOS VM tests|integration tests on a VM]], and are tested from the perspective of being an operative system (this means things like the [[Xorg|X server]], [[KDE]], various servers, and lower level details like installing [[Bootloader|bootloaders]] and running the NixOS installation steps are also tested). |
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="bash"> | | <!--T:10--> |
| sudo nixos-rebuild switch -I nixpkgs=/path/to/local/nixpkgs
| | For standalone [[Nix]] users, <code>nixpkgs-unstable</code> channel branch is the rolling release, where packages pass only basic build tests and are upgraded continuously. |
| </syntaxhighlight> | |
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| ==== Commit your change locally ====
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| | Both [[NixOS]] and [[Nix]] users can use stable channel branches - the latest being {{nixos:latest}} - to receive only conservative updates for fixing critical bugs and security vulnerabilities. Stable channel branches are released bi-annually at the end of May and the end of November. |
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| Commit your change to your local clone of the repository:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
| | Using stable channels on NixOS is comparable to the user experience on other Linux distributions. |
| git add FILE_LIST # eventually use git add --patch
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| git commit
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| ==== Check status ==== | | == Alternatives == <!--T:13--> |
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| Verify everything is ok - no unexpected dangling files git does not know about yet:
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| git status
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| </syntaxhighlight> | |
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| ==== Push to your remote repository ====
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| Submitting your change, push to your repository:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
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| # recommended: create a topic branch, so that this change
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| # can be submitted independently from other patches:
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| git checkout -tb submit/your-topic-name
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| git push $YOUR_GITHUB_NAME submit/your-topic-name
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| </syntaxhighlight>
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| Why create your own branch? You can follow upstream (master) by running <code>git merge master</code>.
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| You can <code>git commit --amend</code> fixes and <code>git push -f</code> your branch.
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| You can always switch back to master by <code>git checkout master</code>.
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| ==== Create a pull request on GitHub ====
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| Go to [https://github.com/nixos/nixpkgs the Nixpkgs repository] and push the ''create pull request'' button. Add a description of your work and submit.
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| === Becoming a Nixpkgs maintainer ===
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| There are two types of maintainer: Members of the NixOS organization and package/module maintainer.
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| Members of the NixOS organization have direct access to the [https://github.com/Nixos/nixpkgs nixpkgs] and can therefor can merge [[Create-pull-requests|pull requests]].
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| Everybody can become a package maintainer by adding to <code>maintainers</code> attribute in the meta section of a package. First add your nick handle (preferable your GitHub username) to [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/master/maintainers/maintainer-list.nix] and reference the said handle within the package:
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| <syntaxhighlight lang="nix">{ stdenv, fetchurl }:
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| stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
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| name = "hello-2.10";
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| # ....
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| meta = with stdenv.lib; {
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| # ...
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| maintainers = with maintainers; [ eelco your-nick ]; # replace your-nick with your real nick
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| platforms = platforms.all;
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| };
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| }</syntaxhighlight>
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| There can be multiple maintainers per package. Maintainers will receive emails from [[Hydra|Hydra]] when package builds enters a failed state. They do not have special privileges as everybody can suggest updates and modifications to any package. However they might be consulted by NixOS members for testing and as a domain experts, when somebody else make a change to a package.
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| == Alternatives ==
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| Due to the fact that nixpkgs is ''only'' a nix expression it is possible to extend or replace the logic with your own sources.
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| In fact, there are a number of extensions as well as complete replacements for '''Nixpkgs''', see the [[Alternative Package Sets]] article.
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| == Subpages ==
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| There are a number of articles especially related to working with <tt>nixpkgs</tt>:
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| {{Special:PrefixIndex/{{FULLPAGENAME}}/ |hideredirects=1 |stripprefix=1}}
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| | Due to the fact that Nixpkgs is ''only'' a Nix expression, it is possible to extend or replace the logic with your own sources. |
| | In fact, there are a number of extensions as well as complete replacements for Nixpkgs, see the [[Alternative Package Sets]] article. |
| | </translate> |
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| [[Category:Discussion]] | | [[Category:Pedias]] |
| [[Category:Nixpkgs]] | | [[Category:Nixpkgs]] |
| | [[Category:Nix]] |
| | [[Category:Software]] |