Overview

Dotfile management using nix, home-manager, and stow.

Installation

Dependencies

• install nix
• add the home-manager channel: nix-channel --add https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager/archive/<RELEASE>.tar.gz home-manager
  • find the release from the github; it will be in the form release-23.11
• nix-shell -p stow

Initial setup

Git

Get ssh sorted

neovim

Neovim uses the .config directory

$ pwd
> doots

Doublecheck what stow will do:

stow --adopt -nv

If it looks good, remove the -n and run:

stow --adopt -v

Machine

For Linux (matterhorn, kirkjufell):

cd machines
sudo stow --target=/etc/nixos <machine>

For Darwin (uncompahgre):

mkdir $HOME/.nixpkgs
cd machines
sudo stow --target $HOME/.nixpkgs uncompahgre

Install nix-darwin

The installer should rebuild switch, but if not exit or source the shell and darwin-rebuild switch

Add channels

• Add channel: nix-channel --add <channel-url> <channel-name>
  • Go to the repo and find the right release branch name for the target architecture, e.g. nixpkgs-24.05-darwin for darwin
    • For example: nix-channel --add https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-24.05-darwin nixos
  • Add the main channel and call it nixos
  • Add the unstable channel and call it unstable

Maintenance

• Update channels: nix-channel --update
• (Optional for darwin) nix-channel --update darwin
• Darwin: build/activate: darwin-rebuild switch
• Update nixpkgs version: nix-channel --add <new-version-url> nixpkgs
• Format: nixpkgs-fmt ./path/to/file
• Garbage collect the store: nix-collect-garbage (-d to delete old profiles/generations for extra cleanup; see manpage)

Configuration

man home-configuration.nix