36 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
36 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: Managing dotfiles with Nix
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date: 2024-11-29
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permalink: daily/2024/11/29/managing-dotfiles-with-nix
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tags:
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- software-development
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- linux
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- nix
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- nixos
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cta: ~
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snippet: |
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I use Nix and Home Manager to manage my dotfiles and configure the programs I use, and it works on NixOS and standalone.
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---
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[As well as Nix managing packages][0] and [NixOS as your operating system][1], you can use Nix to manage your user configuration and dotfiles.
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Enter, Home Manager.
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Home Manager is available as a module for NixOS and a standalone package for other Linux distributions and macOS.
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With it, you can install and configure programs for specific users and create and manage dotfiles such as .gitconfig, .tmux.conf and .zshrc instead of using a tool like Stow.
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There's also the extra benefit that [you can write these files in the Nix language][2] and only focus on one configuration language.
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Nix and Home Manager will create the desired output file in whatever the program wants, whether it's JSON, ini, YAML or something else.
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A good example is [my .gitconfig configuration][3]. It includes settings for Git itself, aliases, global excludes, adds extra packages such as [git-instafix][4] and some environment variables.
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All in one file and all in one language.
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[0]: {{site.url}}/daily/2024/11/25/nix-the-package-manager
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[1]: {{site.url}}/daily/2024/11/27/nix-as-an-operating-system
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[2]: {{site.url}}/daily/2024/11/21/one-configuration-language-to-rule-them-all
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[3]: https://github.com/opdavies/dotfiles/blob/3acd73f6a2e19eadcc16baf22afad5dfad5e049b/nix/modules/home-manager/features/cli/git.nix
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[4]: https://zet.oliverdavies.uk/notes/10
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