NixOS: Difference between revisions

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==== Channels ====

Nix ''channels~~'' are~~ mechanisms for distributing Nix expressions as well as the associated binaries for them~~; a Nix channel corresponds to a repository in a conventional package management system~~. ~~Official Nix~~ channels are ~~automatically updated once tests~~ are ~~passed in Nixpkgs' [[Hydra]] instance. It is also possible to create one's own Nix channels~~, ~~but here we focus the official channels. [https://nixos.org/channels/ A full list of the available official channels is available].~~

NixOS is distributed through a number of Nix channels: mechanisms for distributing Nix expressions as well as the associated binaries for them. These channels are what determine which version of NixOS you are using, and they can be broadly categorized into ''stable'' and ''unstable'' channels, and ''large'' and ''small'' channels. Most users will want the stable/large channel, currently <code>nixos-17.09</code>. For more information on channels and how to choose them, see the [[Nix Channels]] article.

~~NixOS is distributed through a number of channels. These NixOS channels~~ can be broadly ~~categorised~~ into ''stable'' and ''unstable'' channels, and ''large'' and ''small'' channels:

* Stable/unstable:

** Stable channels (<code>nixos-17.09</code>) provide conservative updates for fixing bugs and security vulnerabilities, but do not receive major updates after initial release. New stable channels are released every six months.

** Unstable channels (<code>nixos-unstable</code>, <code>nixos-unstable-small</code>) correspond to the main development branch of Nixpkgs, delivering the latest tested updates on a rolling basis.

* Large/small:

** Large channels (<code>nixos-17.09</code>, <code>nixos-unstable</code>) provide binary builds for the full breadth of Nixpkgs.

** Small channels (<code>nixos-17.09-small</code>, <code>nixos-unstable-small</code>) are identical to large channels, but contain fewer binaries. ~~This means they update faster, but require more to be built from source.~~

Most users will want the stable/large channel, currently <code>nixos-17.09</code>.

Like packages installed via <code>nix-env</code>, channels are managed at user-level. NixOS uses the channels set for the <code>root</code> user to update the system-wide configuration; channels set for other users control only the user environment for that user. If you wish to change the channel used by the system-level configuration (<code>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</code>), ensure you run the correct <code>nix-channel</code> command as root:

@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 ==== Channels ====
-Nix ''channels'' are mechanisms for distributing Nix expressions as well as the associated binaries for them; a Nix channel corresponds to a repository in a conventional package management system. Official Nix channels are automatically updated once tests are passed in Nixpkgs' [[Hydra]] instance. It is also possible to create one's own Nix channels, but here we focus the official channels. [https://nixos.org/channels/ A full list of the available official channels is available].
+NixOS is distributed through a number of Nix channels: mechanisms for distributing Nix expressions as well as the associated binaries for them. These channels are what determine which version of NixOS you are using, and they can be broadly categorized into ''stable'' and ''unstable'' channels, and ''large'' and ''small'' channels. Most users will want the stable/large channel, currently <code>nixos-17.09</code>. For more information on channels and how to choose them, see the [[Nix Channels]] article.
-NixOS is distributed through a number of channels. These NixOS channels can be broadly categorised into ''stable'' and ''unstable'' channels, and ''large'' and ''small'' channels:
-* Stable/unstable:
-** Stable channels (<code>nixos-17.09</code>) provide conservative updates for fixing bugs and security vulnerabilities, but do not receive major updates after initial release. New stable channels are released every six months.
-** Unstable channels (<code>nixos-unstable</code>, <code>nixos-unstable-small</code>) correspond to the main development branch of Nixpkgs, delivering the latest tested updates on a rolling basis.
-* Large/small:
-** Large channels (<code>nixos-17.09</code>, <code>nixos-unstable</code>) provide binary builds for the full breadth of Nixpkgs.
-** Small channels (<code>nixos-17.09-small</code>, <code>nixos-unstable-small</code>) are identical to large channels, but contain fewer binaries. This means they update faster, but require more to be built from source.
-Most users will want the stable/large channel, currently <code>nixos-17.09</code>.
 Like packages installed via <code>nix-env</code>, channels are managed at user-level. NixOS uses the channels set for the <code>root</code> user to update the system-wide configuration; channels set for other users control only the user environment for that user. If you wish to change the channel used by the system-level configuration (<code>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</code>), ensure you run the correct <code>nix-channel</code> command as root: