nix-darwin/nix-darwin
Nix Darwin
nix-darwin is a declarative system configuration tool for macOS that uses the Nix package manager to define and manage the entire system state—including users, services, networking, and security—through a single reproducible Nix expression. It integrates Nix’s purely functional package model to install, update, and remove software, supporting multiple versions and atomic rollbacks.
The tool composes system configuration from modular, typed, overridable options. It evaluates these Nix expressions to produce an immutable description of the desired state, then generates activation scripts that apply only the necessary changes to the running system. Configuration files and symbolic links in system directories point to immutable files in the Nix store, isolating configuration from live edits and enabling safe, atomic deployment.
Users can apply a declarative configuration, revert the system to a prior state by removing managed configuration, or update system packages by fetching fresh metadata from remote sources. Offline documentation is available for browsing reference material without an internet connection.
Features
- Declarative Configuration Systems - Defines the entire system state—users, services, networking, and security—in a single reproducible Nix expression.
- Declarative macOS Configurations - Applies Nix-based configuration files to set up system settings, services, and packages on macOS.
- Functional Package Manager Integrations - Installs, updates, and removes software using Nix's purely functional package model, supporting multiple versions and rollbacks.
- macOS System Configurations - Declaratively manages macOS system settings, services, and packages using the Nix language and package manager.
- System Activation Scripts - Generates shell scripts from evaluated configuration to apply changes and restart services on the running system.
- Store-Based - Places system files into the Nix store and updates symbolic links atomically, enabling safe rollback.
- Reproducible macOS Setups - Ensures identical system configurations across multiple machines by pinning package versions and options in code.
- Functional DSL Evaluators - Evaluates a purely functional domain-specific language to produce an immutable description of the desired system state.
- Declarative Reconciliation Engines - Compares current filesystem state against declared configuration and applies only necessary differences to converge.
- Modular Option Systems - Composes system configuration from modular definitions with typed, overridable options for composability.
- Nix-Based System Administration - Manages macOS system state, including packages and configuration, using Nix as the declarative tool.
- Declarative Package Managers - Installs, updates, and removes software on macOS using Nix expressions instead of manual commands.
- Immutable Store Link Overlays - Manages symbolic links in system directories pointing to immutable files in the Nix store, isolating configuration from live edits.
- Declarative Configuration Removals - Scans and deletes files and symbolic links created by the configuration tool, reverting the system to a prior state.
- Declarative Package Updaters - Updates system package definitions and configuration tools to their latest versions by fetching updated metadata from remote sources.
- System Configuration - Manages macOS system configurations.
