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Nix: Derivation VS Flake - What to use?
In the context of Nix, a package manager and system configuration tool for Linux and other Unix systems, the concepts of "derivation" and "flake" represent two different but related elements. Let's explore their differences:
Nix Derivation
- A Nix derivation is a basic building block in the Nix packaging system.
- It is essentially a recipe for building a package or a piece of software.
- A derivation describes everything needed to build the package, including its source code, dependencies, build scripts, and environment variables.
- The outcome of a derivation is a "store path," a unique path in the Nix store (/nix/store) where the built package resides. This path includes a hash of all inputs to ensure immutability and reproducibility.
- Derivations are typically written in the Nix language and are processed by the Nix build system to create the final software package.
Nix Flake
- Introduced in more recent versions of Nix, a flake is a new way to manage Nix packages and configurations.
- A flake is a self-contained package of Nix expressions that can produce reproducible builds.
- It is designed to improve upon some of the limitations of the traditional Nix expressions, such as the lack of a standardized structure and difficulty in referring to packages from other repositories.
- A flake can contain a collection of Nix packages, NixOS modules, NixOS system configurations, or other artifacts.
- It provides a more declarative way to manage system configurations and dependencies, with improved reproducibility and easier sharing across different systems.
- Flakes have a defined API and can reference other flakes, allowing for more modular and reusable configurations.
In summary, while a Nix derivation is a recipe for building an individual package, a Nix flake is a more holistic, structured, and reproducible way to manage Nix packages and configurations. Flakes aim to standardize and simplify the way Nix users share and deploy software and configurations.
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