mirror/nix-book
1
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://codeberg.org/mhwombat/nix-book.git synced 2026-05-13 21:01:14 +08:00
Code Issues Projects Releases Packages Wiki Activity Actions

apostrophe

Browse source
This commit is contained in:
Amy de Buitléir 2023-12-03 20:04:14 +00:00
parent 49bb8df152
commit 65983d8f1c
1 changed files with 10 additions and 10 deletions
Download patch file Download diff file Expand all files Collapse all files

20
source/intro/main.adoc
View file

@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
== Why Nix?
If you’ve opened this PDF, you already have your own motivation for
learning Nix. Here’s how it helps me. As a researcher, I tend to work on
If you've opened this PDF, you already have your own motivation for
learning Nix. Here's how it helps me. As a researcher, I tend to work on
a series of short-term projects, mostly demos and prototypes. For each
one, I typically develop some software using a compiler, often with some
open source libraries. Often I use other tools to analyse data or
@ -13,28 +13,28 @@ Problems would arise when handing off the project to colleagues; they
would report errors when trying to build or run the project. Belatedly I
would realise that my code relies on a library that they need to
install. Or perhaps they had installed the library, but the version
they’re using is incompatible.
they're using is incompatible.
Using containers helped with the problem. However, I didn’t want to
Using containers helped with the problem. However, I didn't want to
_develop_ in a container. I did all my development in my nice, familiar,
environment with my custom aliases and shell prompt. and _then_ I
containerised the software. This added step was annoying for me, and if
my colleague wanted to do some additional development, they would
probably extract all of the source code from the container first anyway.
Containers are great, but this isn’t the ideal use case for them.
Containers are great, but this isn't the ideal use case for them.
Nix allows me to work in my custom environment, but forces me to specify
any dependencies. It automatically tracks the version of each dependency
so that it can replicate the environment wherever and whenever it’s
so that it can replicate the environment wherever and whenever it's
needed.
== Why _flakes_?
Flakes are labeled as an experimental feature, so it might seem safer to
avoid them. However, they have been in use for years, and there is
widespread adoption, so the aren’t going away any time soon. Flakes are
widespread adoption, so the aren't going away any time soon. Flakes are
easier to understand, and offer more features than the traditional Nix
approach. After weighing the pros and cons, I feel it’s better to learn
approach. After weighing the pros and cons, I feel it's better to learn
and use flakes; and this seems to be the general consensus.
== Prerequisites
@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ see the instructions in the https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes[NixOS wiki].
[IMPORTANT]
====
There are hyphenated and unhyphenated versions of many Nix commands.
There are hyphenated and un-hyphenated versions of many Nix commands.
For example, `nix-shell` and `nix shell` are two different commands.
Don't confuse them!
Generally speaking, the unhyphenated versions are for working directly
Generally speaking, the un-hyphenated versions are for working directly
with flakes, while the hyphenated versions are for everything else.
====