Terms and Definitions in Nix Project: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:40, 21 September 2021

Terms and Definitions

If you come across a term or word you don't know, add it here.

Term	Context	Meaning	Related Links
`rec { }`	Nix expressions	The `{ }` block contains "mutually recursive" attributes, which means they can refer to each other.	Composing the Hello Package
`expression evaluator`	Nix	The part of the Nix program which reads and evaluates a Nix expression.	Nix Manual: Common Options `--arg` Nix Manual: Built-in Functions
Derivation	Nix	A Nix expression which describes a build action. When evaluated, it creates one or more entries in the Nix Store. The `nix-instantiate` command is the command which creates entries in the Nix Store, while the `nix-env` and `nix-build` commands are its user-friendly interface.	Nix Manual: Glossary -> Derivation Nix Manual: Derivation
`stdenv`	Nix expressions	An attribute which contains things expected in the most basic Unix environment. (e.g. Bash shell, `gcc`, `cp`, `tar`, `grep`, etc.)	all-packages.nix: `stdenv =`]
User Environment	Nix	A set of "active" applications. These applications often exist in the Nix store. A single Nix user may have multiple User Environments.	Nix Manual: Glossary
User Profile	Nix	A user's currently selected User Environment.	Nix Manual: Glossary
Generation	Nix	A past revision of a user's environment. This term connotes the cloning and modification of an existing user environment. Nix's environment rollback facilities rely on Generations.	Nix Manual: Profiles
`config.nix` or `nixpkgs-config.nix`	NixOS Wiki	A Nix expression retrieved by and applied to the `all-packages.nix` Nix expression. This file enables an end-user to customize the Nix expressions contained in the community-owned NixPkgs list or to define entirely new Nix expressions to use with Nix commands. This file's path can be overridden by the `NIXPKGS_CONFIG` environment variable.	all-packages.nix: `config` NixPkgs Release Notes
attribute path	nix-env takes this if you pass the `-A` flag [1]	an unambiguous identifier for a package
symbolic package name	[2]	This string represents what you commonly think of as a package. There can be multiple packages with the symbolic name "hello".
selector	this term is used in nix-env error messages [3], it seems to be actually a DrvName struct [4] (a derivation name)	see "symbolic package name"
selection path	nix-shell error message [5]	see "attribute path"[6]
derivation name	manual[7], source code [8]	see "symbolic package name"
package name	IRC[9]	see "symbolic package name"
attribute selection path	source[10]	see "attribute path"

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 || A set of "active" applications. These applications often exist in the Nix store. A single Nix user may have multiple User Environments.
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 || A past revision of a user's environment. This term connotes the cloning and modification of an existing user environment. Nix's environment rollback facilities rely on Generations.