Flakes: Difference between revisions

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'''Nix flakes''' ~~are~~ an [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/contributing/experimental-features.html experimental feature] of the Nix package manager.

'''Nix flakes''' is an [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/contributing/experimental-features.html experimental feature] of the Nix package manager.

== Introduction ==

Flakes ~~introduce~~ a ~~policy for~~ managing dependencies between Nix expressions~~. It improves reproducibility~~, ~~composability and usability in~~ the ~~Nix ecosystem~~. ~~Although it's still an experimental feature, flakes have been widely used by the Nix community~~.

Flakes is a feature of managing Nix packages to simplify usability and improve reproducibility of Nix installations. Flakes manages dependencies between Nix expressions, which are the primary protocols for specifying packages. Flakes implements these protocols in a consistent schema with a common set of policies for managing packages.

~~Technically, a~~ [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#description flake] is a file system tree ~~that~~ contains a Nix file ~~named~~ <code>flake.nix</code> ~~in its root directory~~.

* A [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#description flake] refers to a file-system tree whose root directory contains the Nix file specification called <code>flake.nix</code>.

* An installation may contain any number of flakes, independent of each other or even call each other.

~~Flakes add the following behavior to Nix:~~

* The contents of <code>flake.nix</code> file follow the uniform naming schema for expressing packages and dependencies on Nix.

* Flakes use the standard Nix protocols, including the [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-references URL-like syntax] for specifying repositories and package names.

~~# A~~ <code>flake.nix</code> file ~~offers a~~ uniform ~~[https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-format~~ schema~~], where:~~

* To simplify the long URL syntax with shorter names, [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-registry.html flakes uses a registry] of symbolic identifiers.

~~#* Other flakes can be referenced as~~ dependencies ~~providing~~ Nix ~~language code or other files~~.

* Flakes also allow for locking references and versions that can then be easily queried and updated programmatically.

#* ~~The values produced by~~ the Nix ~~expression in <code>flake.nix</code> are structured according to pre-defined use cases.~~

* [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix.html Nix command-line interface] accepts flake references for expressions that build, run, and deploy packages.

~~# References to other flakes can be specified using a dedicated~~ [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-references URL-like syntax]. A [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-registry.html ~~flake~~ registry] ~~allows using~~ symbolic identifiers for ~~further brevity. References~~ can be ~~automatically locked to their current specific version~~ and ~~later~~ updated programmatically.

* Flakes was introduced with Nix 2.4 ([https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/release-notes/rl-2.4.html see release notes]).

~~# A~~ [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix.html ~~new~~ command line interface]~~, implemented as a separate experimental feature, leverages flakes by accepting~~ flake references ~~in order to~~ build, run, or deploy ~~software defined as a flake~~.

== Enable flakes ==

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-'''Nix flakes''' are an [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/contributing/experimental-features.html experimental feature] of the Nix package manager.
+'''Nix flakes''' is an [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/contributing/experimental-features.html experimental feature] of the Nix package manager.
 == Introduction ==
-Flakes introduce a policy for managing dependencies between Nix expressions. It improves reproducibility, composability and usability in the Nix ecosystem. Although it's still an experimental feature, flakes have been widely used by the Nix community.
+Flakes is a feature of managing Nix packages to simplify usability and improve reproducibility of Nix installations. Flakes manages dependencies between Nix expressions, which are the primary protocols for specifying packages. Flakes implements these protocols in a consistent schema with a common set of policies for managing packages.
-Technically, a [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#description flake] is a file system tree that contains a Nix file named <code>flake.nix</code> in its root directory.
+* A [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#description flake] refers to a file-system tree whose root directory contains the Nix file specification called <code>flake.nix</code>.
+* An installation may contain any number of flakes, independent of each other or even call each other.
-Flakes add the following behavior to Nix:
+* The contents of <code>flake.nix</code> file follow the uniform naming schema for expressing packages and dependencies on Nix.
+*  Flakes use the standard Nix protocols, including the [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-references URL-like syntax] for specifying repositories and package names.
-# A <code>flake.nix</code> file offers a uniform [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-format schema], where:
+* To simplify the long URL syntax with shorter names, [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-registry.html flakes uses a registry] of symbolic identifiers.
-#* Other flakes can be referenced as dependencies providing Nix language code or other files.
+* Flakes also allow for locking references and versions that can then be easily queried and updated programmatically.
-#* The values produced by the Nix expression in <code>flake.nix</code> are structured according to pre-defined use cases.
+*  [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix.html Nix command-line interface] accepts flake references for expressions that build, run, and deploy packages.
-# References to other flakes can be specified using a dedicated [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-flake.html#flake-references URL-like syntax]. A [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-registry.html flake registry] allows using symbolic identifiers for further brevity. References can be automatically locked to their current specific version and later updated programmatically.
+* Flakes was introduced with Nix 2.4 ([https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/release-notes/rl-2.4.html see release notes]).
-# A [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix.html new command line interface], implemented as a separate experimental feature, leverages flakes by accepting flake references in order to build, run, or deploy software defined as a flake.
 == Enable flakes ==