u/DrConverse

I have been a bit of a control freak when it comes to making sure my Linux and macOS environments reproducible and organized. Previously, I manually updated a markdown file listing every packages I installed and every configuration command I executed. So migrating to NixOS (and nix-darwin on macOS) was long overdue.

I was scared of jumping into Nix at first, but I found it surprisingly easy. Perhaps it's because I don't utilize fancier features that Nix offers, but creating one entry point for home-manager, one for Nixvim, two host configuration.nix (for my Framework 13 and M4 Mac Mini), and a flake.nix that ties everything together worked great.

Instead of using mkOutofStoreSymlink, I used this as an opportunity to simplify my overall environment. I tried using a well-established third-party package instead of writing things on my own like I did in my previous dotfiles repository, and I am very satisfied with the result. I especially like the fact that I turned all spawn-at-startup lines in my Niri config into systemd services, which seems to be a much better way of handling Waybar, Swayidle, Gammastep, etc.

Overall, I love the reproducibility and stability. My current plan is to update flake.lock every 2-3 weeks, iron out changes in a separate branch, and then merge it into the main branch. It's almost like having a personal release cycle for my own operating system, it's very satisfying.

If I have to point out two disappointments, it would be similar to what others have said:

1. the build takes so long. I get that it's just how Nix works, but having to wait a minute or two for every changes, especially when I am trying out small things like tweaking font, colorscheme, etc. was painful
2. Documentation. I largely had to reference other people's configuration to get things started, since there is no good starting guide. I also found that consistently, official documentation (e.g., official NixOS Wiki, home-manager official manual, nix-darwin officail manual) are (obviously) up-to-date and accurate but very hard to navigate, while unofficial documentation (e.g., https://mynixos.com/ , unofficial Wiki) have more information and easier to navigate but are often outdated.

Overall, I have been loving using it for 3 weeks, and I think it will stick with me for a while.