Proposal: Convert the server to NixOS #128

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opened 2022-04-17 18:26:00 +00:00 by a · 5 comments
Owner

We currently use Arch which isn't great for servers. I propose we switch our OS to NixOS. This offers a number of benefits:

  • Better stability
  • Easier for users to install packages since Nix on Arch doesn't work all that well
  • Easier maintainability

The downside is that this will take a lot of work and I don't have too much time to work on it currently. However we could try attempting this over the summer. Any thoughts?

We currently use Arch which isn't great for servers. I propose we switch our OS to NixOS. This offers a number of benefits: * Better stability * Easier for users to install packages since Nix on Arch doesn't work all that well * Easier maintainability The downside is that this will take a lot of work and I don't have too much time to work on it currently. However we could try attempting this over the summer. Any thoughts?
a added the
help wanted
question
enhancement
labels 2022-04-17 18:26:00 +00:00
Owner

This is a good idea. When I have more time I will take a deeper look into NixOS. I heard about it some months ago and find it very interesting.

This is a good idea. When I have more time I will take a deeper look into NixOS. I heard about it some months ago and find it very interesting.
Author
Owner

Yeah, I might first test out NixOS by installing it on my laptop and gaining some experience with it, since it's definitely a unique distro that has its own quirks.

I did install Guix on my laptop once but I had some firmware issues.

Yeah, I might first test out NixOS by installing it on my laptop and gaining some experience with it, since it's definitely a unique distro that has its own quirks. I did install Guix on my laptop once but I had some firmware issues.
a added this to the (deleted) project 2022-04-18 01:04:27 +00:00
Author
Owner

Anyways, NixOS is amazing for multi-user setups, so I'm definitely going to have to look deeper into this. Nix on Arch is OK but not ideal, since we I don't think that has good desktop integration and we still need Flatpak for graphical apps.

Anyways, NixOS is amazing for multi-user setups, so I'm definitely going to have to look deeper into this. Nix on Arch is OK but not ideal, since we I don't think that has good desktop integration and we still need Flatpak for graphical apps.
Author
Owner

I'm trying out NixOS on my laptop right now.

I'm trying out NixOS on my laptop right now.
Author
Owner

Alright, I took a closer look at this and I think it'll be an insane amount of work to convert our existing server to NixOS since many packages that we use aren't available yet for NixOS and we'll have to package them ourselves. The main motivation really for this proposal is so that ordinary users can very easily install packages. As for stability and maintainability, I think NixOS won't really make our lives easier since we'll also have to maintain some packages ourselves.

Our current solution is to use Nix for CLI apps and Flatpak for graphical stuff. Honestly, a switch to NixOS would only benefit us a little bit, mainly increased simplicity, but the amount of work needed is painful. I'm going to close this for now, and if you all have other opinions or would like to help out, just reopen this. In the meantime, I might play around with setting up NixOS on my laptop or making a NixOS container, but there's been too much work currently put into configuring the Arch server so the gain from NixOS isn't worth the pain.

Alright, I took a closer look at this and I think it'll be an insane amount of work to convert our existing server to NixOS since many packages that we use aren't available yet for NixOS and we'll have to package them ourselves. The main motivation really for this proposal is so that ordinary users can very easily install packages. As for stability and maintainability, I think NixOS won't *really* make our lives easier since we'll also have to maintain some packages ourselves. Our current solution is to use Nix for CLI apps and Flatpak for graphical stuff. Honestly, a switch to NixOS would only benefit us a little bit, mainly increased simplicity, but the amount of work needed is painful. I'm going to close this for now, and if you all have other opinions or would like to help out, just reopen this. In the meantime, I might play around with setting up NixOS on my laptop or making a NixOS container, but there's been too much work currently put into configuring the Arch server so the gain from NixOS isn't worth the pain.
a closed this issue 2022-04-18 03:19:00 +00:00
a added the
wontfix
label 2022-04-18 21:29:39 +00:00
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Reference: exozyme/exozyme#128
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