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https://github.com/nix-gui/nix-gui

Use NixOS Without Coding
https://github.com/nix-gui/nix-gui

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Use NixOS Without Coding

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README 

        
* Nix-Gui

Make NixOS usable for non-technical users through a settings / package management GUI.



(Work in progress: more features and refinement necessary to meet the above goal)



[[screenshots/historical_2021_10_06.png]]



[[screenshots/historical_search_2021_10_10.png]]



** Using

Prerequisites:

- Ensure NixOS is installed



Run

- =nix run github:nix-gui/nix-gui=



Print help string

- =nix run github:nix-gui/nix-gui -- --help=



If you don't have [[https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes][Nix Flakes]] enabled, either

- Run =nix --experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' run github:nix-gui/nix-gui=, or

- Set =nix.extraOptions = ''experimental-features = nix-command flakes'';= in =configuration.nix= and rebuild to enable.



For details on how to use Nix-Gui, see the [[docs/usage.org][Usage]] page.



** Motives



The declarative nature of NixOS provides it the capability of being *the most user friendly GNU/Linux distribution.* No more [[https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager][editing dotfiles]], =/etc= files, manually writing timers, services, running commands to manage and create users and groups, etc. NixOS integrates all of that into a declarative system, and this project integrates NixOS' declarative system into a GUI.



*** Serve Users Unfamiliar with or Learning Nix



Nix-Gui is a configuration management tool designed for those who haven't mastered the (arguably difficult) nix language. It is also an attempt to replicate the ease of use of popular configuration systems including

- [[https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=unity-control-center][Unity Control Center (Ubuntu)]], not used anymore

- [[https://github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon/tree/master/files/usr/share/cinnamon/cinnamon-settings][Cinnamon Settings (Linux Mint)]]

- [[https://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/][Synaptic Package Manager]]



Nix-Gui is designed to gradually and comfortably teach users about the mechanics of the nix language and nixpkgs.



*** Serve as an Effective System Management Tool for Experienced Users



At the most advanced level, and once feature parity has been achieved. Power users should be capable of changing system configuration, creating system ISOs, [[https://github.com/NixOS/nixops][deploying systems to the cloud]], etc in Nix-Gui more intelligibly and faster than through their traditional means of writing a nix module.



*** Serve Mobile Users



An additional motive for this project is to enable system configuration for [[https://mobile.nixos.org/][mobile devices]] without having to type code on your phone.



** Functionality



Nix-Gui is a tool which loads data including option paths, option types, default values, configured values, descriptions, etc. The option hierarchy is made explorable and the value of individual options are editable. Changes are committed by writing to modules within the configuration path.



This data is retrieved from == and from the configuration path via =NIX_PATH= =nixos-configuration=.



*** Features



- View and edit the state of options using type-specific widgets (e.g. textbox for strings)

  - View and edit the actual nix expression defining an option

  - View metadata of an option including type and definition

- Save changes to a relevant module in the configuration path

  - "Diff" to show option changes not yet committed to disk

- Explore the hierarchy of options

  - Utilize color indicators of which options have been set

- Search options based on options path, type, and description

- Undo changes to options



** Major Shortcomings to be Fixed



Currently there are a few major limitations to Nix-Gui, including

- Documentation is can be improved.

- Nix-Gui has yet to be thoroughly vetted, therefore the configuration path is copied to =~/.config/nixgui/configurations/=, in which all changes made by Nix-Gui are saved.

- Some option types aren't handled yet (e.g. =package=, =lambda=, and specific types like =ncdns.conf configuration type=, =systemd option=). These options can only be edited as a nix expression, as they do not have a matching widget.



** Documentation

- [[docs/usage.org][Usage]]

- Development

  - [[docs/development/goals.org][Development Goals]]

  - [[docs/development/architecture.org][Nix-Gui Architecture]]

  - [[docs/development/commands.org][Development Commands]]

- [[docs/references.org][References]]



** Contributing

Developers and users, if you want to help please

- Run the application and submit bug report and feature request issues on GitHub.

- Contribute to the [[https://github.com/nix-gui/nix-gui/issues/129][UX Survey]].

- Read the Development documentation in the section above.

- Review existing [[https://github.com/nix-gui/nix-gui/pulls][pull requests]].

- See [[https://github.com/nix-gui/nix-gui/labels/good%20first%20issue][good first issues]].

- Create issues to ask questions about code, documentation, etc (there are no dumb questions).

- Contribute to important dependencies including [[https://github.com/nix-community/rnix-parser/][rnix-parser]] and [[https://github.com/nix-community/rnix-lsp][rnix-lsp]].

- Join the matrix below to discuss.



** Matrix

Development, support, discussion on Matrix =#nix-gui:nixos.org= https://matrix.to/#/#nix-gui:nixos.org