2024-01-11 05:44:43 +01:00
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# Accelerating Dotfiles Debugging
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2024-03-16 12:29:05 +01:00
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When managing our Dotfiles with Home Manager, a common challenge arises – each
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modification to our Dotfiles requires executing `sudo nixos-rebuild switch`(or
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`home-manager switch` if you use don't integrate home-manager into NixOS) to take effect.
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However, running this command recalculates the entire system state each time, even though
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Nix internally employs various caching mechanisms to expedite the process, it can still be
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cumbersome.
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Take my Neovim/Emacs configurations as an example; I frequently make high-frequency
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modifications to them, sometimes dozens or hundreds of times a day. If each modification
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necessitates waiting for `nixos-rebuild` to run for several seconds, it becomes a
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significant time drain.
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Fortunately, with the solution outlined in
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[Simplifying NixOS Commands using Justfile](./simplify-nixos-related-commands.md), we can
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expedite testing and verification of frequently modified Dotfiles by adding specific
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configurations to the `Justfile`.
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2024-01-11 05:44:43 +01:00
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For instance, I've added the following content to my Justfile:
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2024-03-16 12:29:05 +01:00
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> The latest Justfile I'm using:
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> [ryan4yin/nix-config/Justfile](https://github.com/ryan4yin/nix-config/blob/main/Justfile)
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2024-01-11 05:44:43 +01:00
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```Makefile
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###############################################################
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# Quick Test - Neovim
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###############################################################
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nvim-clean:
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2024-01-11 06:11:52 +01:00
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rm -rf ${HOME}.config/astronvim/lua/user
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nvim-test: nvim-clean
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rsync -avz --copy-links --chmod=D2755,F744 home/base/desktop/editors/neovim/astronvim_user/ ${HOME}/.config/astronvim/lua/user
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2024-01-11 05:44:43 +01:00
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```
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2024-03-16 12:29:05 +01:00
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Now, when I need to quickly test my Neovim configuration after making changes, I simply
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run `just nvim-test`. Once testing is complete, I execute `just nvim-clean`, followed by
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redeploying the configuration using `nixos-rebuild`. This allows for swift testing and
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seamless restoration of the configuration.
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2024-01-11 05:44:43 +01:00
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2024-03-16 12:29:05 +01:00
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This method is effective under the condition that your Dotfiles content is not generated
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by Nix. For instance, my Emacs/Neovim configurations are native and are linked to the
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appropriate locations solely through Nix Home-Manager's `home.file` or `xdg.configFile`.
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