lix/doc/manual/introduction/quick-start.xml

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<chapter xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
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xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
version="5.0"
xml:id="chap-quick-start">
<title>Quick Start</title>
<para>This chapter is for impatient people who don't like reading
documentation. For more in-depth information you are kindly referred
to subsequent chapters.</para>
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<procedure>
<step><para>Install single-user Nix by running the following:
<screen>
$ curl https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
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</screen>
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This will install Nix in <filename>/nix</filename>. The install script
will create <filename>/nix</filename> using <command>sudo</command>,
so make sure you have sufficient rights. (For other installation
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methods, see <xref linkend="chap-installation"/>.)</para></step>
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<step><para>See what installable packages are currently available
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in the channel:
<screen>
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$ nix-env -qa
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docbook-xml-4.3
docbook-xml-4.5
firefox-33.0.2
hello-2.9
libxslt-1.1.28
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<replaceable>...</replaceable></screen>
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</para></step>
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<step><para>Install some packages from the channel:
<screen>
$ nix-env -i hello</screen>
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This should download pre-built packages; it should not build them
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locally (if it does, something went wrong).</para></step>
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<step><para>Test that they work:
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<screen>
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$ which hello
/home/eelco/.nix-profile/bin/hello
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$ hello
Hello, world!
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</screen>
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</para></step>
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<step><para>Uninstall a package:
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<screen>
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$ nix-env -e hello</screen>
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</para></step>
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<step><para>You can also test a package without installing it:
<screen>
$ nix-shell -p hello
</screen>
This builds or downloads GNU Hello and its dependencies, then drops
you into a Bash shell where the <command>hello</command> command is
present, all without affecting your normal environment:
<screen>
[nix-shell:~]$ hello
Hello, world!
[nix-shell:~]$ exit
$ hello
hello: command not found
</screen>
</para></step>
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<step><para>To keep up-to-date with the channel, do:
<screen>
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$ nix-channel --update nixpkgs
$ nix-env -u '*'</screen>
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The latter command will upgrade each installed package for which there
is a “newer” version (as determined by comparing the version
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numbers).</para></step>
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<step><para>If you're unhappy with the result of a
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<command>nix-env</command> action (e.g., an upgraded package turned
out not to work properly), you can go back:
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<screen>
$ nix-env --rollback</screen>
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</para></step>
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<step><para>You should periodically run the Nix garbage collector
to get rid of unused packages, since uninstalls or upgrades don't
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actually delete them:
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<screen>
$ nix-collect-garbage -d</screen>
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<!--
The first command deletes old “generations” of your profile (making
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rollbacks impossible, but also making the packages in those old
generations available for garbage collection), while the second
command actually deletes them.-->
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</para></step>
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</procedure>
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</chapter>