I3

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i3 is a tiling window manager for X.

Enabling

To use i3 set service.xserver.windowManager.i2.enable to true. For example:

/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

{ config, pkgs, callPackage, ... }: {
  ...
  services.xserver = {
    enable = true;
    desktopManager = {
      default = "none";
      xterm.enable = false;
    };
    windowManager.i3.enable = true;
  };
  ...
}

Tip

In order to affect your system by your nix-language-specific changes you have to evaluate it, run (as root):

# nixos-rebuild switch

With a desktop manager

i3 is a window manager and does not provide "cosmetic" services like managing multiple monitor configuration or media keys. This is what is usually delegated to a desktop manager. To use xfce as a desktop manager on top of i3, see Xfce#Using_as_a_desktop_manager_and_not_a_window_manager.

DConf

If your settings aren't being saved, like the size of file selection windows, you need to enable dconf:

/etc/nixos/configuration.nix

  programs.dconf.enable = true;
  services.dbus.packages = [ pkgs.gnome3.dconf ];

Wallpaper

If ~/.background-image exists then it will be displayed as a wallpaper. Options services.xserver.desktopManager.wallpaper.combineScreens and .mode control exactly how it is displayed.