Introduction to NixOS

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NixOS is a unique Linux distribution built around the Nix package manager. It introduces a purely functional, declarative, and reproducible approach to system configuration and package management.

Instead of configuring your system imperatively (manually installing packages, editing files, etc.), NixOS lets you define the entire state of your system in a single configuration file: configuration.nix. This makes it especially powerful for infrastructure automation and DevOps workflows.

Why Use NixOS?

NixOS offers several key benefits that make it ideal for homelabs and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) environments:

Declarative Configuration
Define your system state in code. Everything from installed packages to system services and user accounts is described in a single file.
Reproducibility
Build the exact same system across machines or over time. You can rollback to previous configurations with ease.
Atomic Upgrades & Rollbacks
System upgrades are safe and atomic. If something breaks, roll back instantly.
Isolation & Purity
Nix ensures packages and builds are isolated, preventing conflicts and ensuring predictable behavior.
Built-in Versioning
The Nix store and Git integration allow you to track, reproduce, and audit every system change.

NixOS in This Project

In the context of this project, NixOS is the foundation of the homelab VM. Its declarative nature ensures that:

All system configuration is version-controlled
Services can be reliably deployed and re-deployed
Rebuilding the system is as simple as running nixos-rebuild switch

By combining NixOS with tools like OpenTofu, GitHub Actions, and SOPS, we can fully automate, secure, and manage the infrastructure lifecycle using modern DevOps and GitOps practices.

Further Reading