Scoder12 NixOS Dotfiles

My setup

• Usecase: Full-stack development, browsing, light gaming
• OS: NixOS Unstable
• Install everything using home-manager, never nix-env.
  • Ensures that everything I install is saved in my dotfiles
  • Don't use two tools for the same purpose
• Try to keep tools in home-manager to essentials and use nix-shell -p for everything else
  • can try out new software instantly with no need to remember to remove
  • saves disk space
  • avoids bloating base dotfiles install
• Use home-manager standalone rather than as a module
  • can update system and user independently
• Shell: zsh
  • no framework, plugins are managed by nix
  • nerdfont complete powerlevel10k theme
  • lots of custom aliases and functions
• Terminal: alacritty
• Editors:
  • VS Codium (open source, telemetry free VS Code) with vscode-vim extension
  • vanilla vim with no config

Repo organization

• home-manager/
  • Modules in modules/*.nix Machines in *.nix:
    • Each machine can enable/disable modules based on situation, whether it is GUI, etc.
    • Modules are for a specific tool that needs configuring or a set of similar tools
    • if it fits in 1 line or package doesn't need to be configured it doesn't need it's own module, it can be put in the machine config
    • Modules are sometimes interdependent, e.g. i3 terminal is set to alacritty if that module is enabled

Installation

NixOS (flake)

sudo ln -s /path/to/dotfiles/flake.nix /etc/nixos/flake.nix
nixos-rebuild switch --use-remote-sudo

The NixOS config sets up NIX_PATH to use the nixpkgs version pinned in this flake, so you should sudo nix-channel --remove all your system channels now (list them with sudo nix-channel --list)

Other linux

Install the nix package manager.

home-manager (flake)

1. Choose or add a homeConfiguration flake output with the correct username
2. Refer to the home-manager manual. The flake URI is simply the path to this git repo.

home-manager (non-flakes)

Note: I use flakes rather than this method on all my systems now.

1. Install home-manager using the standalone installation: instructions in the home-manager manual.
2. At the top of ~/.config/nixpkgs/home.nix, import your desired machine config from this repo using an absolute path. For example, to use the redbox profile after cloning the repository to /home/scoder12/github/dotfiles, write:

{ config, pkgs, ... }:

{
  imports = [
    /home/scoder12/github/dotfiles/home-manager/redbox.nix
  ];

  # --snip--

3. Rebuild home-manager config: home-manager switch. Repeat this step after any change to this repository.

Note: On non-NixOS, nix's libGL doesn't play nicely with system graphics drivers, so install alacritty's dependencies using the system package manager then cargo install alacritty, rather than installing it with nix.

Important tips

• Don't forget to sudo nix-collect-garbage -d often.
• Keep your system up to date: nix flake update --commit-lock-file
• Make sure to set max-jobs and cores when building (manual). I use --max-jobs 1 --cores 2 with home-manager switch and nixos-rebuild switch to avoid overselling my 6-core 12-thread machine
• The Firefox User-Agent in home-manager/modules/firefox.nix is spoofed to look like Win10. Be sure to check the list from time to time to makek sure it isn't being generated incorrectly and standing out