daily-email: add 2023-07-02

Docker or Nix?

src/content/daily-email/2023-07-02.md

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+---
+title: >
+  Docker or Nix?
+pubDate: 2023-07-02
+permalink: >
+  archive/2023/07/02/docker-or-nix
+tags:
+  - docker
+  - nix
+---
+
+I've been a Nix user for about a year, starting with its package manager on my previously installed Linux distribution.
+
+I started to use Home Manager for my user configuration and dotfiles and later switched to the NixOS operating system.
+
+## Using Nix for software development
+
+I've also been using Nix Flakes for per-project configuration.
+
+A Flake file is a simple file written in the Nix language that defines the project's dependencies and installs them from the Nix package manager.
+
+Here is an example Flake for a PHP CLI application:
+
+```nix
+{
+  inputs.nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
+
+  outputs = inputs@{ flake-parts, ... }:
+    flake-parts.lib.mkFlake { inherit inputs; } {
+      systems = [ "x86_64-linux" ];
+
+      perSystem = { config, self', inputs', pkgs, system, ... }: {
+        devShells = {
+          default = pkgs.mkShell {
+            buildInputs = with pkgs; [ php82 php82Packages.composer ];
+          };
+        };
+      };
+    };
+}
+```
+
+It declares that PHP 8.2 and Composer are available, even if I have different versions installed globally.
+
+## Will Nix replace Docker?
+
+Nix and Flakes have replaced Docker for me on some projects.
+
+If I have a simple setup and need a specific version of PHP or Node and some additional programs, I can get those from the Flake.
+
+I don't know if it'll replace Docker for me completely and work on more complex projects, but it's working well for me where I'm using it.