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nix-super/doc/manual/src/architecture/architecture.md

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design -> architecture, add motivation following ideas found in Architecture of Gazelle[1] [1]: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/blob/56d35f8db086bb65ef876f96f7baa7b71516daf8/Design.rst
2022-04-28 00:25:33 +03:00
# Architecture
WIP: Document the design of Nix The current docs are all "how to do things" and no "what is Nix" or "why are things the way they are". I see lots of misconception on the wider internet, and I also think we would benefit from a "living document" to answer some questions people currently turn to the thesis for. I think a new section of the manual can address all these issues.
2020-11-24 15:38:12 +02:00
design -> architecture, add motivation following ideas found in Architecture of Gazelle[1] [1]: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/blob/56d35f8db086bb65ef876f96f7baa7b71516daf8/Design.rst
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This chapter describes how Nix works.
It should help users understand why Nix behaves as it does, and it should help developers understand how to modify Nix and how to write similar tools.
reword introductory section there should be a meta section for each chapter to give motivation of the presented structure. the structure itself is visible from the table of contents.
2022-04-26 12:46:15 +03:00
design -> architecture, add motivation following ideas found in Architecture of Gazelle[1] [1]: https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel-gazelle/blob/56d35f8db086bb65ef876f96f7baa7b71516daf8/Design.rst
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## Overview
remove separate meta-section, add architecture diagram the diagram is a first approximation and only covers that same section. of course there is much more going on, and other features should at some point also be illustrated. we also have to think about presentation format and technicalities behind it. the manual has to render to `man`, but we may want something more refined for web view.
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Nix consists of hierarchical [layers](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multitier_architecture#Layers).
```
update architecture diagram
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[ commmand line interface ]--------+
| |
| evaluates | manages
V |
[ configuration language ] |
| V
+-------------------------------|---------------------------------+
| store | |
| | evaluates to |
| | |
| references V builds |
| [ build input ] --> [ build plan ] --> [ build result ] |
| |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
remove separate meta-section, add architecture diagram the diagram is a first approximation and only covers that same section. of course there is much more going on, and other features should at some point also be illustrated. we also have to think about presentation format and technicalities behind it. the manual has to render to `man`, but we may want something more refined for web view.
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```
At the top is the *command line interface*, translating from invocations of Nix executables to interactions with the underlying layers.
address Nix language consistently as configuration language
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Below that is the *Nix language*, a [purely functional](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purely_functional_programming) configuration language.
reword introduction to rosetta stone, add links attempt to explain used and documented terminology, as well as how the declarative programming paradigm relates to building software. in the future one could highlight encouraged terms to shape future material into higher consistency.
2022-04-25 14:25:43 +03:00
It is used to compose expressions which ultimately evaluate to self-contained *build plans*, used to derive *build results* from referenced *build inputs*.
remove separate meta-section, add architecture diagram the diagram is a first approximation and only covers that same section. of course there is much more going on, and other features should at some point also be illustrated. we also have to think about presentation format and technicalities behind it. the manual has to render to `man`, but we may want something more refined for web view.
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::: {.note}
The Nix language itself does not have a notion of *packages* or *configurations*.
As far as we are concerned here, the inputs and results of a derivation are just data.
In practice this amounts to a set of files in a file system.
:::
The command line and Nix language are what users interact with most.
Underlying everything is the *Nix store*, a mechanism to keep track of build plans, data, and references between them.
It can also execute *build instructions*, captured in the build plans, to produce new data.
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