Flathub aims to be the place to get and distribute apps for Linux. It is powered by Flatpak which allows Flathub apps to run on almost any Linux distribution.
How does it stack up against traditional package management and others like AUR and Nix?
The home.nix should be automatically generated, and that’s where you put all of your packages. I left a few as an example.
NixGL is needed to use openGL (nixGL lutris for example). It works in most cases, but I couldn’t get alacritty or kitty to work. There are some ways to have packages automatically use it, but I still haven’t tried them out.
Flake allows you to select the correct nix repo (stable/unstable), appropriate home-manager version, and add outside packages like nixgl. It’s technically not necessary, but I wouldn’t go without it. Here I’m using the unstable repository, check the relevant docs if you want to go with releases instead.
The equivalent of apt update&& apt upgrade is nix flake update && home-manager switch --impure. I like cd-ing into the nix dotfile directory (all of the files are in there and symlinked to ~/.config/ locations), but you can also use command line arguments to point to the flake.
nix flake update updates the package definitions to what’s in the repo
home-manager switch install them, and also updates any configs it’s managing. The --impure is only needed if you’re using nixgl (bad build commands depend on system time).
nix-collect-garbage to force a clean up of unused packages
What advantage do you see in Nix compared to Distrobox?
I personally enjoy DB because of its simplicity.
I just open BoxBuddy, create a new container from the dropdown-list, and then just start using my Debian or Arch container on top of Fedora Atomic for example.
The two main benefits I see in Nix are the reproducibility and the big repo. But in case of the repository size, Debian and Arch (+ AUR) are extremely big aswell.
Are there any other big benefits, that I can’t get with Distrobox, but with Nix?
Just as a small side note, I’m no power user and tend to use my PC more like a casual guy.
I haven’t used distrobox, so take this with a grain of salt:
reproducibility: if you copy my nix files, the flake.lock will ensure you have the exact same results as me
declarative package management: you make a list of packages and the declarative nature forces you to keep it up to date at all times, that’s how you install/remove them. On arch you need to -Syu the package and remember to add it to an installation script (I never did). This also allows for easier maintenance because you don’t need to go through random dependencies to find an unused package you’ve installed (~100 packages on the list == almost 2000 packages installed). If there’s a distrobox version of a Dockerfile, you can do the same but it will most likely have the same disadvantages.
home-manager allows you to configure packages (usually not worth it though)
no need to export packages, when you install them they’re immediately available in your main distro
combine these and you have an extremely simple setup to distrohop, or work on multiple devices. You can also for example break off certain packages in a separate module, and only install them on a certain machine.
I’m guessing updates are easier, and if it breaks something, you can easily rollback to a previous generation. It will not only revert to the exact same packages you used previously, but it will also revert any package configs it controls. And on top of that it lets you pin a package to a specific version, and upgrade everything else.
cross-platform: you can take your list and install the same packages on win/mac natively. They don’t need to run linux in a vm like a container would
less storage used?
temporary package installs. For example I only needed arandr for 30 seconds to set up a new monitor, so I just nix shell nixpkgs#arandr and it created a shell with that package. When I was done I just closed the terminal, and didn’t need to think about it anymore. The package was completely removed the next time I ran nix-collect-garbage.
you need a package that’s in no repository, but it has a flake with all of the compilation dependencies? You just cd into the repo, nix develop, and you’ve got a temporary environment with everything you need to start following the compilation instructions
But in case of the repository size, Debian and Arch (+ AUR) are extremely big aswell.
Arch has a lot of packages, but there are some that I had to install through aur which I don’t like. Nixpkgs have so far had everything I needed, except for nixgl (although I couldn’t get a few of them to work). Also, you can chose between “stable” and unstable repos. Arch doesn’t have a frozen version with updates every ~6 weeks, and no other release based distro comes even close in either quantity or freshness.
That’s what I can think of for a casual user. There are a lot more benefits for professionals to be honest, and I wouldn’t suggest nix at all if home-manager didn’t massively simplify the whole process. Getting to those few simple files from above was a massive pain, and it’s made even worse by the official nix guide suggesting outdated methods, and most of the support threads being for nixos. With them, you can get going in like 10 minutes even if you don’t know anything.
Thanks for your great explanation!
How up-to-date are the packages, compared to Flatpaks?
IIRC, I used Nix a while ago to install a program, which was supposedly hard to build for Linux and crashed all the time as Flatpak. Sadly, the Nix version was almost a year old and also not great.
But I think I’ll take a look into it again. I began using terminal apps a lot more and also became a huge fan of image based distros, and I think Nix packages have similar benefits as immutable distros.
How up-to-date are the packages, compared to Flatpaks?
Same or more up to date. It’s up there with arch, but some packages are purposely separated. For example the go package is 1.21.7, but there’s also a go_1_22 package that’s 1.22.1. I’m guessing they’re waiting for it to be fully tested, while arch replaced it immediately.
Sadly, the Nix version was almost a year old and also not great.
check here , set the channel to unstable to see the freshest packages
I think Nix packages have similar benefits as immutable distros.
Nix as an external pm has most of the benefits, but almost none of the downsides. It creates an immutable package store, but doesn’t cause FHS compliance related issues.
Nope, and that’s the worst part of nix. I’m actually planning on writing a short startup guide, but I need to solve a few more issues first.
But, this should help you out until then:
The home.nix should be automatically generated, and that’s where you put all of your packages. I left a few as an example.
NixGL is needed to use openGL (
nixGL lutrisfor example). It works in most cases, but I couldn’t get alacritty or kitty to work. There are some ways to have packages automatically use it, but I still haven’t tried them out.Flake allows you to select the correct nix repo (stable/unstable), appropriate home-manager version, and add outside packages like nixgl. It’s technically not necessary, but I wouldn’t go without it. Here I’m using the unstable repository, check the relevant docs if you want to go with releases instead.
The equivalent of
apt update && apt upgradeisnix flake update && home-manager switch --impure. I like cd-ing into the nix dotfile directory (all of the files are in there and symlinked to ~/.config/ locations), but you can also use command line arguments to point to the flake.nix flake updateupdates the package definitions to what’s in the repohome-manager switchinstall them, and also updates any configs it’s managing. The --impure is only needed if you’re using nixgl (bad build commands depend on system time).nix-collect-garbageto force a clean up of unused packageshttps://search.nixos.org/packages makes searching for packages a lot easier
https://mynixos.com/search?q=home-manager+ same, but for finding options to configure packages through home-manager
Comment if you need help
update: removed nixGL from flake and home, installed it through nix-channel in order to not use
--impureduringhome-manager switchThanks! I saved the comment for later.
What advantage do you see in Nix compared to Distrobox?
I personally enjoy DB because of its simplicity.
I just open BoxBuddy, create a new container from the dropdown-list, and then just start using my Debian or Arch container on top of Fedora Atomic for example.
The two main benefits I see in Nix are the reproducibility and the big repo. But in case of the repository size, Debian and Arch (+ AUR) are extremely big aswell.
Are there any other big benefits, that I can’t get with Distrobox, but with Nix?
Just as a small side note, I’m no power user and tend to use my PC more like a casual guy.
I haven’t used distrobox, so take this with a grain of salt:
reproducibility: if you copy my nix files, the
flake.lockwill ensure you have the exact same results as medeclarative package management: you make a list of packages and the declarative nature forces you to keep it up to date at all times, that’s how you install/remove them. On arch you need to
-Syuthe package and remember to add it to an installation script (I never did). This also allows for easier maintenance because you don’t need to go through random dependencies to find an unused package you’ve installed (~100 packages on the list == almost 2000 packages installed). If there’s a distrobox version of a Dockerfile, you can do the same but it will most likely have the same disadvantages.home-manager allows you to configure packages (usually not worth it though)
no need to export packages, when you install them they’re immediately available in your main distro
combine these and you have an extremely simple setup to distrohop, or work on multiple devices. You can also for example break off certain packages in a separate module, and only install them on a certain machine.
I’m guessing updates are easier, and if it breaks something, you can easily rollback to a previous generation. It will not only revert to the exact same packages you used previously, but it will also revert any package configs it controls. And on top of that it lets you pin a package to a specific version, and upgrade everything else.
cross-platform: you can take your list and install the same packages on win/mac natively. They don’t need to run linux in a vm like a container would
less storage used?
temporary package installs. For example I only needed
arandrfor 30 seconds to set up a new monitor, so I justnix shell nixpkgs#arandrand it created a shell with that package. When I was done I just closed the terminal, and didn’t need to think about it anymore. The package was completely removed the next time I rannix-collect-garbage.you need a package that’s in no repository, but it has a flake with all of the compilation dependencies? You just
cdinto the repo,nix develop, and you’ve got a temporary environment with everything you need to start following the compilation instructionsArch has a lot of packages, but there are some that I had to install through aur which I don’t like. Nixpkgs have so far had everything I needed, except for nixgl (although I couldn’t get a few of them to work). Also, you can chose between “stable” and unstable repos. Arch doesn’t have a frozen version with updates every ~6 weeks, and no other release based distro comes even close in either quantity or freshness.
That’s what I can think of for a casual user. There are a lot more benefits for professionals to be honest, and I wouldn’t suggest nix at all if home-manager didn’t massively simplify the whole process. Getting to those few simple files from above was a massive pain, and it’s made even worse by the official nix guide suggesting outdated methods, and most of the support threads being for nixos. With them, you can get going in like 10 minutes even if you don’t know anything.
Thanks for your great explanation!
How up-to-date are the packages, compared to Flatpaks?
IIRC, I used Nix a while ago to install a program, which was supposedly hard to build for Linux and crashed all the time as Flatpak. Sadly, the Nix version was almost a year old and also not great.
But I think I’ll take a look into it again. I began using terminal apps a lot more and also became a huge fan of image based distros, and I think Nix packages have similar benefits as immutable distros.
Same or more up to date. It’s up there with arch, but some packages are purposely separated. For example the
gopackage is 1.21.7, but there’s also ago_1_22package that’s 1.22.1. I’m guessing they’re waiting for it to be fully tested, while arch replaced it immediately.check here , set the channel to unstable to see the freshest packages
Nix as an external pm has most of the benefits, but almost none of the downsides. It creates an immutable package store, but doesn’t cause FHS compliance related issues.