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Rewrite docs for "Built-in Functions" #1048

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opened 2025-11-22 22:17:03 +00:00 by helle · 0 comments
helle commented 2025-11-22 22:17:03 +00:00
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The documentation for builtin functions is in a particularly messy state.

Some functions are well documented, some are missing half the features they have, for example [fetchurl](https:// docs.lix.systems/manual/lix/2.94/language/builtins.html#builtins-fetchurl) is missing the entire description of the attribute set you could pass in.

There is an additional problem that our syntax for parameters is inconsistent, does not allow for description of parameters "A ⊕ B" and does not allow for description of "attribute sets" well at all, which many of them take. This will require some rewrite of the generator for the PrimOps, but I believe this is worth it.

It may also be worth generating some form of index on the builtin functions as currently this is a very long document where it can be hard to find the part you need. The other option is to split it up, possibly by category, though this would be a discussion on it's own what those should be (suggestion, fetchers and string and path manipulation at least in their own sections each.)

We could split this up into two bugs, but they would be strongly related as the docs rewrite would show what the generator changes need to be.

The documentation for [builtin functions](https://docs.lix.systems/manual/lix/2.94/language/builtins.html) is in a particularly messy state. Some functions are well documented, some are missing half the features they have, for example `[fetchurl](https:// docs.lix.systems/manual/lix/2.94/language/builtins.html#builtins-fetchurl)` is missing the entire description of the attribute set you could pass in. There is an additional problem that our syntax for parameters is inconsistent, does not allow for description of parameters "**A ⊕ B**" and does not allow for description of "**attribute sets**" well at all, which many of them take. This will require some rewrite of the generator for the PrimOps, but I believe this is worth it. It may also be worth generating some form of index on the builtin functions as currently this is a very long document where it can be hard to find the part you need. The other option is to split it up, possibly by category, though this would be a discussion on it's own what those should be (suggestion, fetchers and string and path manipulation at least in their own sections each.) We could split this up into two bugs, but they would be strongly related as the docs rewrite would show what the generator changes need to be.
helle added this to the Docs rewrite project 2025-11-22 22:42:04 +00:00
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