If you spot an inaccuracy in this table, please let us know .
NixCI reads your
flake.nix
and automatically discovers what to build.
All
configuration
is optional.
If it builds with
nix flake check
locally, it builds on NixCI.
GitHub Actions requires YAML workflow files that specify each step: installing Nix, configuring caches, and listing what to build.
NixCI automatically discovers all flake outputs and creates build jobs for them.
NixCI uses standard Nix flakes. Your build definition is your flake.nix, which works everywhere Nix does.
GitHub Actions uses GitHub-specific YAML workflow files.
NixCI provides the exact command to reproduce each job locally, including for impure tests and deployments.
Every job on NixCI can be reproduced locally with a single command. NixCI shows you the exact command for each job, so when CI fails, you can start fixing it immediately on your machine.
Via act .
NixCI integrates with GitLab.com via webhooks and commit status updates.
NixCI supports self-hosted GitLab instances.
NixCI integrates with Codeberg.org via webhooks and commit status updates.
NixCI supports self-hosted Forgejo instances.
A single NixCI installation can serve GitHub, GitLab, and Codeberg repositories simultaneously.
NixCI works with GitHub , GitLab , and Codeberg . One CI system across all your forges.
NixCI supports self-hosted GitHub Enterprise instances.
NixCI caches automatically without any configuration. Every build result is cached and subsequent builds pull from the cache to skip work that's already been done.
Using a binary cache with GitHub Actions requires configuring a third-party action and managing cache credentials.
NixCI has built-in Cachix support. Just add your Cachix cache name to your configuration.
GitHub Actions supports Cachix via a third-party action, but it requires manual setup.
NixCI can push build results to your own binary cache via SSH.
GitHub Actions can push to your own binary cache, but it requires manual setup.
NixCI's hosted workers have 16 vCPUs and 64 GB of RAM, billed per second of actual build time. You can also bring your own workers with whatever hardware you choose.
GitHub Actions' standard runners have 4 vCPUs and 16 GB of RAM, billed per minute rounded up.
NixCI has built-in support for continuous deployment and impure tests with access to secrets and the network.
In GitHub Actions, all tests run with full network and secret access by default. There is no distinction between pure and impure tests.
NixCI automatically runs deployment after all builds and tests pass, with no manual dependency declaration needed.
GitHub Actions supports deployment, but you have to manually declare which jobs must pass before deployment runs.
NixCI can be fully self-hosted on your own infrastructure, including the leader, workers, and cache. It also works with self-hosted forges like GitLab and Forgejo.
GitHub is self-hostable. You can run your own GitHub instance with runners.
NixCI does not have FlakeHub integration. FlakeHub only allows publishing from trusted platforms .
GitHub Actions has official FlakeHub support for publishing and caching.