Nix vs. Linux Standard Base: Difference between revisions

This article is a comparison between the [[Nix package manager]] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Standard_Base Linux Standard Base] (LSB) standard that the package managers of most conventional Linux distributions follow.

In most distributions, files of an installed package are stored under <code>/{,usr}/{bin,etc,lib,...}</code>.

If other kind of files are to be found by programs looking at the usual <code>/{,usr}/{bin,etc,lib,sbin,...}</code> locations, other variables may be of help. For example, gcc would welcome <code>CPATH</code> and <code>LIBRARY_PATH</code>. And the dynamic loader will welcome <code>LD_LIBRARY_PATH</code>.

In most LSB distributions, you ask for the development tools to be installed into the system. And then you also install dependencies of the package you want to build, and then go on building the source you downloaded. The dependencies are found, and your program builds fine.

That can be achieved only following the nix style. So, letting nix build your program from source, instead of doing that on your own in your interactive shell through profiles. Nix will provide a common build system, with whatever stated dependencies available at build time, and will also provide a target installation directory. This requires knowing how to write [http://hydra.nixos.org/job/nix/trunk/tarball/latest/download-by-type/doc/manual/#id460419 simple stdenv derivations], and knowing [https://nixos.org/nix/manual/#chap-quick-start where to write them].

In LSB distributions, files installed under {{ic|/usr}} can be edited by the user as needed.

== See also ==

[[Category:Pedias]]