diff --git a/doc/manual/src/glossary.md b/doc/manual/src/glossary.md index 611d9576f..d49d5e52e 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/glossary.md +++ b/doc/manual/src/glossary.md @@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ - [output]{#gloss-output} A [store object] produced by a [derivation]. + See [the `outputs` argument to the `derivation` function](@docroot@/language/derivations.md#attr-outputs) for details. [output]: #gloss-output diff --git a/doc/manual/src/language/derivations.md b/doc/manual/src/language/derivations.md index d80a7dd48..2aded5527 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/language/derivations.md +++ b/doc/manual/src/language/derivations.md @@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ It outputs an attribute set, and produces a [store derivation] as a side effect [store derivation]: @docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-derivation - - ## Input attributes ### Required @@ -17,11 +15,22 @@ It outputs an attribute set, and produces a [store derivation] as a side effect - [`name`]{#attr-name} ([String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) A symbolic name for the derivation. - It is added to the [store derivation]'s [path](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-path) and its [output paths][output path]. + It is added to the [store path] of the corresponding [store derivation] as well as to its [output paths](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-output-path). - Example: `name = "hello";` + [store path]: @docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-path + + > **Example** + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > name = "hello"; + > # ... + > } + > ``` + > + > The store derivation's path will be `/nix/store/-hello.drv`. + > The [output](#attr-outputs) paths will be of the form `/nix/store/-hello[-]` - The store derivation's path will be `/nix/store/-hello.drv`, and the output paths will be of the form `/nix/store/-hello[-]` - [`system`]{#attr-system} ([String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) The system type on which the [`builder`](#attr-builder) executable is meant to be run. @@ -29,77 +38,175 @@ It outputs an attribute set, and produces a [store derivation] as a side effect A necessary condition for Nix to build derivations locally is that the `system` attribute matches the current [`system` configuration option]. It can automatically [build on other platforms](../advanced-topics/distributed-builds.md) by forwarding build requests to other machines. - Examples: - - `system = "x86_64-linux";` - - `system = builtins.currentSystem;` - - [`builtins.currentSystem`](@docroot@/language/builtin-constants.md#builtins-currentSystem) has the value of the [`system` configuration option], and defaults to the system type of the current Nix installation. - [`system` configuration option]: @docroot@/command-ref/conf-file.md#conf-system + > **Example** + > + > Declare a derivation to be built on a specific system type: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > system = "x86_64-linux"; + > # ... + > } + > ``` + + > **Example** + > + > Declare a derivation to be built on the system type that evaluates the expression: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > system = builtins.currentSystem; + > # ... + > } + > ``` + > + > [`builtins.currentSystem`](@docroot@/language/builtin-constants.md#builtins-currentSystem) has the value of the [`system` configuration option], and defaults to the system type of the current Nix installation. + - [`builder`]{#attr-builder} ([Path](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-path) | [String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) Path to an executable that will perform the build. - Examples: + > **Example** + > + > Use the file located at `/bin/bash` as the builder executable: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > builder = "/bin/bash"; + > # ... + > }; + > ``` - `builder = "/bin/bash";` + - `builder = ./builder.sh;` + > **Example** + > + > Copy a local file to the Nix store for use as the builder executable: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > builder = ./builder.sh; + > # ... + > }; + > ``` - `builder = "${pkgs.python}/bin/python";` + + + > **Example** + > + > Use a file from another derivation as the builder executable: + > + > ```nix + > let pkgs = import {}; in + > derivation { + > # ... + > builder = "${pkgs.python}/bin/python"; + > # ... + > }; + > ``` ### Optional -- [`args`]{#attr-args} ([List](@docroot@/language/values.md#list) of [String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) Default: `[ ]` +- [`args`]{#attr-args} ([List](@docroot@/language/values.md#list) of [String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) + + Default: `[ ]` Command-line arguments to be passed to the [`builder`](#attr-builder) executable. - Example: `args = [ "-c" "echo hello world > $out" ];` + > **Example** + > + > Pass arguments to Bash to interpret a shell command: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > builder = "/bin/bash"; + > args = [ "-c" "echo hello world > $out" ]; + > # ... + > }; + > ``` -- [`outputs`]{#attr-outputs} ([List](@docroot@/language/values.md#list) of [String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) Default: `[ "out" ]` +- [`outputs`]{#attr-outputs} ([List](@docroot@/language/values.md#list) of [String](@docroot@/language/values.md#type-string)) + + Default: `[ "out" ]` Symbolic outputs of the derivation. - Each output name is passed to the [`builder`](#attr-builder) executable as an environment variable with its value set to the corresponding [output path]. + Each output name is passed to the [`builder`](#attr-builder) executable as an environment variable with its value set to the corresponding [store path]. - [output path]: @docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-output-path - - By default, a derivation produces a single output path called `out`. - However, derivations can produce multiple output paths. + By default, a derivation produces a single output called `out`. + However, derivations can produce multiple outputs. This allows the associated [store objects](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-object) and their [closures](@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-closure) to be copied or garbage-collected separately. - Examples: + > **Example** + > + > Imagine a library package that provides a dynamic library, header files, and documentation. + > A program that links against such a library doesn’t need the header files and documentation at runtime, and it doesn’t need the documentation at build time. + > Thus, the library package could specify: + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > # ... + > outputs = [ "lib" "dev" "doc" ]; + > # ... + > } + > ``` + > + > This will cause Nix to pass environment variables `lib`, `dev`, and `doc` to the builder containing the intended store paths of each output. + > The builder would typically do something like + > + > ```bash + > ./configure \ + > --libdir=$lib/lib \ + > --includedir=$dev/include \ + > --docdir=$doc/share/doc + > ``` + > + > for an Autoconf-style package. - Imagine a library package that provides a dynamic library, header files, and documentation. - A program that links against such a library doesn’t need the header files and documentation at runtime, and it doesn’t need the documentation at build time. - Thus, the library package could specify: + The name of an output is combined with the name of the derivation to create the name part of the output's store path, unless it is `out`, in which case just the name of the derivation is used. - ```nix - derivation { - # ... - outputs = [ "lib" "dev" "doc" ]; - # ... - } - ``` + > **Example** + > + > + > ```nix + > derivation { + > name = "example"; + > outputs = [ "lib" "dev" "doc" "out" ]; + > # ... + > } + > ``` + > + > The store derivation path will be `/nix/store/-example.drv`. + > The output paths will be + > - `/nix/store/-example-lib` + > - `/nix/store/-example-dev` + > - `/nix/store/-example-doc` + > - `/nix/store/-example` - This will cause Nix to pass environment variables `lib`, `dev`, and `doc` to the builder containing the intended store paths of each output. - The builder would typically do something like + You can refer to each output of a derivation by selecting it as an attribute. + The first element of `outputs` determines the *default output* and ends up at the top-level. - ```bash - ./configure \ - --libdir=$lib/lib \ - --includedir=$dev/include \ - --docdir=$doc/share/doc - ``` - - for an Autoconf-style package. - - You can refer to each output of a derivation by selecting it as an attribute, e.g. `myPackage.lib` or `myPackage.doc`. - - The first element of `outputs` determines the *default output*. - Therefore, in the given example, `myPackage` is equivalent to `myPackage.lib`. + > **Example** + > + > Select an output by attribute name: + > + > ```nix + > let + > myPackage = derivation { + > name = "example"; + > outputs = [ "lib" "dev" "doc" "out" ]; + > # ... + > }; + > in myPackage.dev + > ``` + > + > Since `lib` is the first output, `myPackage` is equivalent to `myPackage.lib`. @@ -123,8 +230,7 @@ It outputs an attribute set, and produces a [store derivation] as a side effect reside in the Nix store. - A *derivation* causes that derivation to be built prior to the - present derivation; its default output path is put in the - environment variable. + present derivation. The environment variable is set to the [store path] of the derivation's default [output](#attr-outputs). - Lists of the previous types are also allowed. They are simply concatenated, separated by spaces. @@ -132,6 +238,8 @@ It outputs an attribute set, and produces a [store derivation] as a side effect - `true` is passed as the string `1`, `false` and `null` are passed as an empty string. + + ## Builder execution The [`builder`](#attr-builder) is executed as follows: