Nixie

This repository contains the NixOS configuration and dotfiles for my machines, collectively named Nixie. It includes settings for various tools and applications, such as system services, window managers, terminal emulators, and text editors. By sharing these configurations, others can learn from my setup and adapt it to their own needs.

Overview

The purpose of this repository is to provide a well-organized, version-controlled, and easily maintainable configuration for NixOS. It aims to simplify managing a personal computing environment and ensure consistency across multiple devices. The name Nixie reflects the project's modular and elegant approach to NixOS customization.

Prerequisites

Before using this configuration, ensure you have the following:

• A NixOS-based system
• Git installed

Installation and Usage

Bootstrap a New Machine

1. Install Nix (with flakes enabled):

   sh <(curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install)
   # Enable flakes in /etc/nix/nix.conf:
   # experimental-features = nix-command flakes

2. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/nixie.git
   cd nixie

3. Install Home Manager (if not on NixOS):

   nix run .#homeConfigurations.nixie-ci.activationPackage
   # or for a different profile:
   nix run .#homeConfigurations.nixie-lab.activationPackage

4. For NixOS system config:

   sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#nixie-ci

Update and Roll Back

• Update flake inputs:

  nix flake update
  git add flake.lock
  git commit -m "Update flake inputs"

• Apply updates:

  home-manager switch --flake .#nixie-ci
  # or for system:
  sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#nixie-ci

• Roll back:
  • For Home Manager: home-manager generations
  • For NixOS: sudo nixos-rebuild --rollback

Repository Structure

The repository is organized as follows:

• nixos/: Contains system-wide configurations, including the main configuration.nix
• home-manager/: Configurations for user-specific settings, such as shell aliases and editor preferences
• modules/: Modular configurations for specific services or applications (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)
• overlays/: Custom Nix package definitions or overrides
• pkgs/: Custom Nix packages defined similarly to nixpkgs

Adding New Components

Modules

• Home Manager module:
  1. Create a new file in home-manager/modules/yourmodule/default.nix
  2. Import it in home-manager/nixie-ci.nix or nixie-lab.nix under imports
• NixOS module:
  1. Create a new file in nixos/yourmodule/default.nix
  2. Import it in nixos/configuration.nix under imports

Packages

• Add to home.packages (user) or environment.systemPackages (system)
• Example:

  home.packages = with pkgs; [
    vim
    firefox
    # Add your package here
  ];

Troubleshooting Guide

LSP/Neovim

• Run :checkhealth in Neovim for diagnostics
• Ensure LSP servers are installed (via Mason or Nix)
• Check $PATH for LSP binaries

GPU/Video Acceleration

• Test with vainfo and vdpauinfo
• For browser acceleration, check chrome://gpu or about:support
• Ensure correct drivers in hardware.graphics.extraPackages

Audio

• Use pavucontrol to manage audio devices
• Restart Pipewire: systemctl --user restart pipewire

General Nix Issues

• Run nix doctor for diagnostics
• Check logs: /var/log/messages or journalctl -xe

Secrets Management

Avoid committing sensitive information (e.g., API keys, passwords). Instead, use tools like git-crypt or environment variables to manage secrets securely.

Acknowledgements

This repository is inspired by the work and ideas of numerous NixOS community members. Special thanks to the maintainers of NixOS, Home Manager, and related projects for their invaluable contributions.

For more details, see the NixOS Wiki and Home Manager Manual.

License

Copyright 2022-2025 Mohammad Abdolirad

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at

   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.