[Nix-dev] Announcing "nix-env-rebuild" (and some comment on "nix install -d")

[Luca Bruno]

How does it differ from this simple nix-env usage?
https://nixos.org/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_manage_software_with_nix-env_like_with_configuration.nix.3F

On Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 8:51 PM, Lu Fennell <lu-fennell at startmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Nix-dev,
>
> For quite some time now I'm using a glorified Haskell script that I call
> "nix-env-rebuild" to manage my user profile "declaratively" (i.e.,
> by specifying the list of installed packages in a file). Triggered by
> the discussion on the new Nix UI, I decided to do some polishing and
> release nix-env-rebuild on github:
>
> https://github.com/lu-fennell/nix-env-rebuild
>
> Features:
> - Upfront configuration of a profile through a config file
>   (~/.nixpkgs/packages.nix) similar to the "systemPackages" attribute.
> - Commands similar to "nixos-rebuild": dry-run, build, switch
> - Shows a summary of how the current profile differs from the
>   "declared" one.
> - "nix-env -i .." effectively becomes a one-shot install action
>   (e.g., for test-driving packages). Running "nix-env-rebuild dry-run"
>   shows which packages where added by "nix-env -i" (giving you a
>   chance to add them to your package list). Running
>   "nix-env-rebuild switch" removes those one-shot packages.
> - The packages of "packages.nix" can be overridden or extended with
>   concrete store paths (in a second configuration file,
>   ~/.nixpkgs/store-path-install-list.txt). This is useful e.g. for
>   blocking undesired upgrades or preventing expensive rebuilds.
>
> So if you are interested in this style of (user)-package management, I
> invite you to give nix-env-rebuild a try. I'm eagerly awaiting your
> comments and bug reports :)
>
> In particular I am interested in discussing the relation to the "nix
> install" parts of Eelco's new UI proposal: It seems like the proposal
> tries to support "declarative package management" through "nix install
> -d" and "nix rebuild". I think that an approach akin to
> nix-env-rebuild is a better fit, mainly for two reasons.
>
> 1. I think upfront configuration is more "declarative" in nature than
>    "nix install -d", which is an imperative operation.
>
> 2. One-shot installs, in the sense outlined above, seem difficult in
>    "nix install"/"nix install -d"/"nix rebuild": Doing a
>
>    NIX_PATH=some/very/unstable/channel nix install bleeding-edge-package
>
>    would rebuild all "declarative" packages against
>    some/very/unstable/channel, although I might just want to
>    test-drive "bleeding-edge-package".
>
> Perhaps I am wrong thinking "nix install -d" is supposed support
> "declarative package management"? (in this case I think the
> "-d"-option's is name is quite misleading)
>
> But if not, I am curious to know if you concur with my observations
> and how your ideas of "declarative user package management" may differ
> from mine.
>
> Best regards,
> Lu
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