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300 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
300 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
# Modularize Your NixOS Configuration
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At this point, the skeleton of the entire system is configured. The current configuration structure in `/etc/nixos` should be as follows:
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```
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$ tree
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.
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├── flake.lock
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├── flake.nix
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├── home.nix
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└── configuration.nix
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```
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The functions of these four files are:
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- `flake.lock`: An automatically generated version-lock file that records all input sources, hash values, and version numbers of the entire flake to ensure reproducibility.
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- `flake.nix`: The entry file that will be recognized and deployed when executing `sudo nixos-rebuild switch`. See [Flakes - NixOS Wiki](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) for all options of flake.nix.
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- `configuration.nix`: Imported as a Nix module in flake.nix, all system-level configuration is currently written here. See [Configuration - NixOS Manual](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/unstable/index.html#ch-configuration) for all options of configuration.nix.
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- `home.nix`: Imported by Home-Manager as the configuration of the user `ryan` in flake.nix, containing all of `ryan`'s configuration and managing `ryan`'s home folder. See [Appendix A. Configuration Options - Home-Manager](https://nix-community.github.io/home-manager/options.xhtml) for all options of home.nix.
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By modifying these files, you can declaratively change the system and home directory status.
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However, as the configuration grows, relying solely on `configuration.nix` and `home.nix` can lead to bloated and difficult-to-maintain files. A better solution is to use the Nix module system to split the configuration into multiple Nix modules and write them in a classified manner.
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The Nix module system provides a parameter, `imports`, which accepts a list of `.nix` files and merges all the configuration defined in these files into the current Nix module. Note that `imports` will not simply overwrite duplicate configuration but handle it more reasonably. For example, if `program.packages = [...]` is defined in multiple modules, then `imports` will merge all `program.packages` defined in all Nix modules into one list. Attribute sets can also be merged correctly. The specific behavior can be explored by yourself.
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> I only found a description of `imports` in [Nixpkgs-Unstable Official Manual - evalModules Parameters](https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/unstable/#module-system-lib-evalModules-parameters): `A list of modules. These are merged together to form the final configuration.` It's a bit ambiguous...
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With the help of `imports`, we can split `home.nix` and `configuration.nix` into multiple Nix modules defined in different `.nix` files. Lets look at an example module `packages.nix`:
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```nix
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{
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config,
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pkgs,
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...
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}: {
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imports = [
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(import ./special-fonts-1.nix {inherit config pkgs;}) # (1)
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./special-fonts-2.nix # (2)
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];
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fontconfig.enable = true;
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}
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```
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This modules loads two other modules in the imports section, namely `special-fonts-1.nix` and `special-fonts-2.nix`. Both files are modules themselves and look similar to this.
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```nix
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{ config, pkgs, ...}: {
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# Configuration stuff ...
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}
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```
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Both import statements above are equivalent in the parameters they receive:
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- Statement `(1)` imports the function in `special-fonts-1.nix` and calls it by passing `{config = config; pkgs = pkgs}`. Basically using the return value of the call (another partial configuration [attritbute set]) inside the `imports` list.
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- Statement `(2)` defines a path to a module, whose function Nix will load _automatically_ when assembling the configuration `config`. It will pass all matching arguments from the function in `packages.nix` to the loaded function in `special-fonts-2.nix` which results in `import ./special-fonts-2.nix {config = config; pkgs = pkgs}`.
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Here is a nice starter example of modularizing the configuration, Highly recommended:
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- [Misterio77/nix-starter-configs](https://github.com/Misterio77/nix-starter-configs)
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A more complicated example, [ryan4yin/nix-config/i3-kickstarter](https://github.com/ryan4yin/nix-config/tree/i3-kickstarter) is the configuration of my previous NixOS system with the i3 window manager. Its structure is as follows:
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```shell
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├── flake.lock
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├── flake.nix
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├── home
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│ ├── default.nix # here we import all submodules by imports = [...]
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│ ├── fcitx5 # fcitx5 input method's configuration
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│ │ ├── default.nix
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│ │ └── rime-data-flypy
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│ ├── i3 # i3 window manager's configuration
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│ │ ├── config
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│ │ ├── default.nix
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│ │ ├── i3blocks.conf
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│ │ ├── keybindings
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│ │ └── scripts
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│ ├── programs
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│ │ ├── browsers.nix
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│ │ ├── common.nix
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│ │ ├── default.nix # here we import all modules in programs folder by imports = [...]
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│ │ ├── git.nix
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│ │ ├── media.nix
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│ │ ├── vscode.nix
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│ │ └── xdg.nix
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│ ├── rofi # rofi launcher's configuration
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│ │ ├── configs
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│ │ │ ├── arc_dark_colors.rasi
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│ │ │ ├── arc_dark_transparent_colors.rasi
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│ │ │ ├── power-profiles.rasi
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│ │ │ ├── powermenu.rasi
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│ │ │ ├── rofidmenu.rasi
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│ │ │ └── rofikeyhint.rasi
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│ │ └── default.nix
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│ └── shell # shell/terminal related configuration
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│ ├── common.nix
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│ ├── default.nix
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│ ├── nushell
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│ │ ├── config.nu
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│ │ ├── default.nix
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│ │ └── env.nu
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│ ├── starship.nix
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│ └── terminals.nix
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├── hosts
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│ ├── msi-rtx4090 # My main machine's configuration
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│ │ ├── default.nix # This is the old configuration.nix, but most of the content has been split out to modules.
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│ │ └── hardware-configuration.nix # hardware & disk related configuration, autogenerated by nixos
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│ └── my-nixos # my test machine's configuration
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│ ├── default.nix
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│ └── hardware-configuration.nix
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├── modules # some common NixOS modules that can be reused
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│ ├── i3.nix
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│ └── system.nix
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└── wallpaper.jpg # wallpaper
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```
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There is no need to follow the above structure, you can organize your configuration in any way you like. The key is to use `imports` to import all the submodules into the main module.
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## `lib.mkOverride`, `lib.mkDefault`, and `lib.mkForce`
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In Nix, some people use `lib.mkDefault` and `lib.mkForce` to define values. These functions are designed to set default values or force values of options.
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You can explore the source code of `lib.mkDefault` and `lib.mkForce` by running `nix repl -f '<nixpkgs>'` and then entering `:e lib.mkDefault`. To learn more about `nix repl`, type `:?` for the help information.
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Here's the source code:
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```nix
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# ......
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mkOverride = priority: content:
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{ _type = "override";
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inherit priority content;
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};
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mkOptionDefault = mkOverride 1500; # priority of option defaults
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mkDefault = mkOverride 1000; # used in config sections of non-user modules to set a default
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mkImageMediaOverride = mkOverride 60; # image media profiles can be derived by inclusion into host config, hence needing to override host config, but do allow user to mkForce
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mkForce = mkOverride 50;
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mkVMOverride = mkOverride 10; # used by ‘nixos-rebuild build-vm’
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# ......
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```
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In summary, `lib.mkDefault` is used to set default values of options with a priority of 1000 internally, and `lib.mkForce` is used to force values of options with a priority of 50 internally. If you set a value of an option directly, it will be set with a default priority of 1000, the same as `lib.mkDefault`.
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The lower the `priority` value, the higher the actual priority. As a result, `lib.mkForce` has a higher priority than `lib.mkDefault`. If you define multiple values with the same priority, Nix will throw an error.
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Using these functions can be very helpful for modularizing the configuration. You can set default values in a low-level module (base module) and force values in a high-level module.
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For example, in my configuration at [ryan4yin/nix-config/blob/c515ea9/modules/nixos/core-server.nix](https://github.com/ryan4yin/nix-config/blob/c515ea9/modules/nixos/core-server.nix#L32), I define default values like this:
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```nix{6}
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{ lib, pkgs, ... }:
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{
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# ......
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nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = lib.mkDefault false;
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# ......
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}
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```
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Then, for my desktop machine, I override the value in [ryan4yin/nix-config/blob/c515ea9/modules/nixos/core-desktop.nix](https://github.com/ryan4yin/nix-config/blob/c515ea9/modules/nixos/core-desktop.nix#L18) like this:
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```nix{10}
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{ lib, pkgs, ... }:
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{
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# import the base module
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imports = [
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./core-server.nix
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];
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# override the default value defined in the base module
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nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = lib.mkForce true;
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# ......
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}
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```
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## `lib.mkOrder`, `lib.mkBefore`, and `lib.mkAfter`
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In addition to `lib.mkDefault` and `lib.mkForce`, there are also `lib.mkBefore` and `lib.mkAfter`, which are used to set the merge order of **list-type options**. These functions further contribute to the modularization of the configuration.
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> I haven't found the official documentation for list-type options, but I simply understand that they are types whose merge results are related to the order of merging. According to this understanding, both `list` and `string` types are list-type options, and these functions can indeed be used on these two types in practice.
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As mentioned earlier, when you define multiple values with the same **override priority**, Nix will throw an error. However, by using `lib.mkOrder`, `lib.mkBefore`, or `lib.mkAfter`, you can define multiple values with the same override priority, and they will be merged in the order you specify.
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To examine the source code of `lib.mkBefore`, you can run `nix repl -f '<nixpkgs>'` and then enter `:e lib.mkBefore`. To learn more about `nix repl`, type `:?` for the help information:
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```nix
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# ......
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mkOrder = priority: content:
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{ _type = "order";
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inherit priority content;
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};
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mkBefore = mkOrder 500;
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defaultOrderPriority = 1000;
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mkAfter = mkOrder 1500;
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# ......
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```
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Therefore, `lib.mkBefore` is a shorthand for `lib.mkOrder 500`, and `lib.mkAfter` is a shorthand for `lib.mkOrder 1500`.
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To test the usage of `lib.mkBefore` and `lib.mkAfter`, let's create a simple Flake project:
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```nix{10-38}
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# flake.nix
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{
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inputs.nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-23.11";
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outputs = {nixpkgs, ...}: {
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nixosConfigurations = {
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"my-nixos" = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
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system = "x86_64-linux";
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modules = [
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({lib, ...}: {
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programs.bash.shellInit = lib.mkBefore ''
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echo 'insert before default'
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'';
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programs.zsh.shellInit = lib.mkBefore "echo 'insert before default';";
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nix.settings.substituters = lib.mkBefore [
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"https://nix-community.cachix.org"
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];
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})
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({lib, ...}: {
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programs.bash.shellInit = lib.mkAfter ''
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echo 'insert after default'
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'';
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programs.zsh.shellInit = lib.mkAfter "echo 'insert after default';";
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nix.settings.substituters = lib.mkAfter [
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"https://ryan4yin.cachix.org"
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];
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})
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({lib, ...}: {
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programs.bash.shellInit = ''
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echo 'this is default'
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'';
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programs.zsh.shellInit = "echo 'this is default';";
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nix.settings.substituters = [
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"https://nix-community.cachix.org"
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];
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})
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];
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};
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};
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};
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}
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```
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The flake above contains the usage of `lib.mkBefore` and `lib.mkAfter` on multiline strings, single-line strings, and lists. Let's test the results:
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```bash
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# Example 1: multiline string merging
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› echo $(nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.my-nixos.config.programs.bash.shellInit)
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trace: warning: system.stateVersion is not set, defaulting to 23.11. Read why this matters on https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options.html#opt-system.stateVersio
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n.
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"echo 'insert before default'
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echo 'this is default'
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if [ -z \"$__NIXOS_SET_ENVIRONMENT_DONE\" ]; then
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. /nix/store/60882lm9znqdmbssxqsd5bgnb7gybaf2-set-environment
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fi
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echo 'insert after default'
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"
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# example 2: single-line string merging
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› echo $(nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.my-nixos.config.programs.zsh.shellInit)
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"echo 'insert before default';
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echo 'this is default';
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echo 'insert after default';"
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# Example 3: list merging
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› nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.my-nixos.config.nix.settings.substituters
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[ "https://nix-community.cachix.org" "https://nix-community.cachix.org" "https://cache.nixos.org/" "https://ryan4yin.cachix.org" ]
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```
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As you can see, `lib.mkBefore` and `lib.mkAfter` can define the order of merging of multiline strings, single-line strings, and lists. The order of merging is the same as the order of definition.
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> For a deeper introduction to the module system, see [Module System & Custom Options](../other-usage-of-flakes/module-system.md).
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## References
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- [Nix modules: Improving Nix's discoverability and usability](https://cfp.nixcon.org/nixcon2020/talk/K89WJY/)
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- [Module System - Nixpkgs](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/eab660d/doc/module-system/module-system.chapter.md)
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