nix-super/doc/manual/src/installation/building-source.md

# Building Nix from Source

Nix is built with [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/).
It is broken up into multiple Meson packages, which are optionally combined in a single project using Meson's [subprojects](https://mesonbuild.com/Subprojects.html) feature.

There are no mandatory extra steps to the building process:
generic Meson installation instructions like [this](https://mesonbuild.com/Quick-guide.html#using-meson-as-a-distro-packager) should work.

The installation path can be specified by passing the `-Dprefix=prefix`
to `configure`. The default installation directory is `/usr/local`. You
can change this to any location you like. You must have write permission
to the *prefix* path.

Nix keeps its *store* (the place where packages are stored) in
`/nix/store` by default. This can be changed using
`-Dstore-dir=path`.

> **Warning**
>
> It is best *not* to change the Nix store from its default, since doing
> so makes it impossible to use pre-built binaries from the standard
> Nixpkgs channels — that is, all packages will need to be built from
> source.

Nix keeps state (such as its database and log files) in `/nix/var` by
default. This can be changed using `-Dlocalstatedir=path`.
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00			`# Building Nix from Source`

Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			`Nix is built with [Meson](https://mesonbuild.com/).`
			`It is broken up into multiple Meson packages, which are optionally combined in a single project using Meson's [subprojects](https://mesonbuild.com/Subprojects.html) feature.`
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00
Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			`There are no mandatory extra steps to the building process:`
			`generic Meson installation instructions like [this](https://mesonbuild.com/Quick-guide.html#using-meson-as-a-distro-packager) should work.`
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00
Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			The installation path can be specified by passing the `-Dprefix=prefix`
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00			to `configure`. The default installation directory is `/usr/local`. You
			`can change this to any location you like. You must have write permission`
<replaceable> -> <emphasis> Pandoc doesn't know <replaceable> so let's force it to be rendered as italics. 2020-07-23 15:28:05 +03:00			`to the prefix path.`
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00
			`Nix keeps its store (the place where packages are stored) in`
			`/nix/store` by default. This can be changed using
Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			`-Dstore-dir=path`.
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00
			`> Warning`
Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			`>`
Pandoc conversion 2020-07-23 00:17:48 +03:00			`> It is best not to change the Nix store from its default, since doing`
			`> so makes it impossible to use pre-built binaries from the standard`
			`> Nixpkgs channels — that is, all packages will need to be built from`
			`> source.`

			Nix keeps state (such as its database and log files) in `/nix/var` by
Update documentation to refer to Meson not Make in most places This is necessary to make the Meson one the default and preferred one. Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com> 2024-08-19 17:24:38 +03:00			default. This can be changed using `-Dlocalstatedir=path`.