NixOS configuration editors: Difference between revisions

Line 1:

Creating graphical editors for NixOS configurations is hard because of the amount and complexity of options and the resulting possibilities.

~~To improve the editing experience it is highly recommend to use a text editor with syntax highlighting and language server (autocompletion and suggestions based on NixOS config schema) if possible.~~

== Text editors ==

~~It is also possible to use graphical config manager which can't express all features of NixOS but is simply to use.~~

== ~~Implementations~~ ==

To improve the editing experience of <code>configuration.nix</code>, it is recommend to use a text editor with syntax highlighting and language server (autocompletion, formatting, refactoring).

See also: [[Editor Modes for Nix Files]]

=== Editing as normal user ===

The configuration files in <code>/etc/nixos/</code> are owned by root, so for every "save" operation, the editor will ask for the sudo password. To avoid this, we can move the config files to a user's home folder:

<pre>

mkdir ~/etc

sudo mv /etc/nixos ~/etc/

sudo chown -R $(id -un):users ~/etc/nixos

sudo ln -s ~/etc/nixos /etc/

</pre>

Now you can run <code>codium /etc/nixos</code> to edit the config with VSCodium, and <code>sudo nixos-rebuild switch</code> to build the config.

It's also a good idea to track the config files with <code>git</code>, and to make backups.

== Graphical editors ==

It is also possible to use a graphical config manager, which can't express all features of NixOS, but is simple to use.

=== nix-gui by lapp0 ===

Line 40:

Line 60:

* https://www.reddit.com/r/NixOS/comments/cu4dle/should_nix_have_a_gui/

* https://www.reddit.com/r/nosyntax - structural editors

* [[~~Editor Modes for Nix Files~~]]

* [[Nixos-rebuild#Specifying a different configuration location]]

* https://discourse.nixos.org/t/use-vscode-editor-configuration-nix-cant-save/14119

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Creating graphical editors for NixOS configurations is hard because of the amount and complexity of options and the resulting possibilities.
-To improve the editing experience it is highly recommend to use a text editor with syntax highlighting and language server (autocompletion and suggestions based on NixOS config schema) if possible.
+== Text editors ==
-It is also possible to use graphical config manager which can't express all features of NixOS but is simply to use.
-== Implementations ==
+To improve the editing experience of <code>configuration.nix</code>, it is recommend to use a text editor with syntax highlighting and language server (autocompletion, formatting, refactoring).
+See also: [[Editor Modes for Nix Files]]
+=== Editing as normal user ===
+The configuration files in <code>/etc/nixos/</code> are owned by root, so for every "save" operation, the editor will ask for the sudo password. To avoid this, we can move the config files to a user's home folder:
+<pre>
+mkdir ~/etc
+sudo mv /etc/nixos ~/etc/
+sudo chown -R $(id -un):users ~/etc/nixos
+sudo ln -s ~/etc/nixos /etc/
+</pre>
+Now you can run <code>codium /etc/nixos</code> to edit the config with VSCodium, and <code>sudo nixos-rebuild switch</code> to build the config.
+It's also a good idea to track the config files with <code>git</code>, and to make backups.
+== Graphical editors ==
+It is also possible to use a graphical config manager, which can't express all features of NixOS, but is simple to use.
 === nix-gui by lapp0 ===
@@ Line 40: / Line 60: @@
 * https://www.reddit.com/r/NixOS/comments/cu4dle/should_nix_have_a_gui/
 * https://www.reddit.com/r/nosyntax - structural editors
-* [[Editor Modes for Nix Files]]
+* [[Nixos-rebuild#Specifying a different configuration location]]
+* https://discourse.nixos.org/t/use-vscode-editor-configuration-nix-cant-save/14119