First Time NixOS Install with Customization

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - NixOS Overview
00:04:05 - Finding Packages to use before install
00:17:26 - Install Begins
00:23:46 - Manual Partitioning
00:34:24 - Generating Our Configuration File for Install
00:39:49 - Finishing Install from ISO
00:40:58 - First Boot
00:41:39 - Login and user setup
00:42:07 - SetFont problems
00:43:28 - Figuring out Installing Packages
00:46:20 - mounting backup drive
00:47:29 - Grabing Backup Packagelist
00:50:24 - Installing ALL the Packages 1000+
00:55:01 - Understanding PATHS and proper XDG Paths
01:02:02 - Install Done - Reboot
01:03:19 - Adding a Desktop Session
01:05:10 - Nix Handles Services VERY Differently
01:07:38 - Fixing permissions on mounted external home
01:09:35 - You can NOT change stuff in /etc
01:21:02 - Cloning DWM Setup
01:22:26 - Titus is dogwater at using elinks
01:27:02 - Wierd NixOS package names
01:31:12 - MINDBLOWING NixOS Overlays
01:40:51 - bin bash errors with it not existing
01:48:37 - Successful Install and Recap .

[Korazza]

I recommend that you move the "fileSystems" options to to separate a reproducible configuration from the hardware currently in use.
Then, instead of referencing just use "/usr/bin/env bash" and it works like a charm.

[aghx]

At 06:20, to avoid having to prefix every package with `pkgs.`, use
`environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
alacritty
anotherpkg
];`

[davidturcotte]

I use VirtManager. It was super easy to setup. I gave it its own configuration file to include to make it a little more transportable. I am virtualizing Windows 11 quite nicely in it.

[apoorv]

All the shell scripts need to be changed to have `/usr/bin/env bash` instead of `/bin/bash`. That's how people do it in Guix as well. Also if you wanna change anything about the system you don't edit any files manually you do it via the configuration.nix file and all the hardware related configs like including file-system goes in hardware-configuration.nix file in /etc/nixos.

Also to avoid rebuilding system configuration all the time, the idea in both Guix in Nix is to only include important package in system config and all the rest in home config.

File system hierarchy is different in both Guix in Nix and will take time to fully wrap your head around it, you just have to understand the mindset behind it.

[clocked]

Amazing coincidence that right as I'm considering switching to NixOS from Artix you upload this video :)

[TuvaluHODL]

Damn it, now I'm intrigued. Good vid, thanks for the pod, podna

[davidprock]

1:05:23, the HULK is missing his bash and is coming for yours!!

[adjbutler]

With nixos, you can easily switch from GNOME and KDE to DWM via the config
And you can be 100% sure that all the bloat is removed via garbage collection afterward

[heshamkhalil]

that's a great video. the drama that just based on action & reaction(like making things break a little bet then reaction n to fix is teaching me a lot configuring the distro (if it was unintentional it's very good and i suggest you make IT educational videos based on this methodology (getting your hands dirty and put your self in the newbie shoes because I'm now at the 45 minute and didn't get bored.
the drama is perfect

[davidturcotte]

You didn't need to do minimal. If you remove from your configuration.nix the gnome or KDE settings, it's off your system as though it was never there.

[kenneth_romero]

awesome vid, really enjoyed it. made me want to finally start that fresh arch install i've been meaning to learn to do.

[jimmcg]

One small clarification - when trying to build dwm initially using make, it wasn't a dependency issue, you didn't have a compiler installed (cc: No such file or directory).

Not a nixos user, so not sure if installing clang would even work, although I can say, it's not the "right" way to do it in NixOS. Better to go at it similar to how portage can apply patches before building.

[cvoges]

The main reason for swap partitions instead of swap files is that there's known linux kernel errors with swap files on hibernation set ups. You will need to use swap partitions to avoid those with a hibernation set up.

[wisnoskij]

In the finding packages section Titus talks a lot about dependencies, but my understanding is Nix does not do dependencies. The QEMU package is not going interact with the Vert-manager package. Presumably, any dependencies DWM installs will similarly be sandboxed in with the DWM that is installed and will be inaccessible to any custom DWM you build????

[DanielLopez-upos]

Came here from the LTX Stream and Jeff Geerlin mention your NIX videos.

[sherx]

There is already a version 23.05 released on May 31, I think you can upgrade to this version rn

[TankorSmash]

5:30 It did delete +wayland, but I think the LSP highlighting made it look like it wasn't selecting it

[alphabennyrosy]

Finally you are using a decent operating system.

[brockstanford]

You go over adding packages, but how about removing them, specifically ones included in larger packages. Like removing Geary from the Cinnamon GUI install?

[yankee-in-london]

shebang references to bash (or any other shell script) should use the standard `/usr/bin/env bash` abstraction or else you'll run into issues. I did notice that the `env` symbolic link is in place so it should just work if you use this.