My NixOS Dotfiles

This is a single-user, single-machine NixOS dotfiles repository.

The main idea is to keep one flake entrypoint at the repository root, place the current machine configuration under host/, keep reusable capability modules under modules/, and store shared application config assets under assets/. host/meta.nix declares machine metadata and module selections, while the resolvers turn those selections into concrete NixOS and Home Manager imports.

Project Layout

• flake.nix: the only flake entrypoint. It reads host/meta.nix, host/system.nix, and host/home.nix.
• host/: the current machine configuration directory. Users are expected to create this directory themselves.
• modules/nixos/system/: optional NixOS system modules and the system resolver.
• modules/nixos/home/: optional Home Manager modules and the home resolver.
• assets/config/: shared application configuration linked or imported by Home Manager modules.
• template/desktop/: a reference desktop template, currently built around Niri + Dank Material Shell.

The host/ directory must contain four required files:

• host/meta.nix: flake-facing metadata such as hostname, platform, user identity, and module selections.
• host/system.nix: the NixOS baseline for the current machine.
• host/home.nix: the Home Manager baseline for the current user.
• host/hardware-configuration.nix: hardware facts generated by NixOS.

Use the files under template/desktop/ as a starting point when creating your own host/ directory. A Rust-based TUI generator may be added in the future to create or update these host files visually. For now, the workflow stays Nix-first and manually editable.

Module Selection

Basic modules are enabled through modules.system and modules.home in host/meta.nix.

Example:

modules = {
  system = {
    display = "niri";
    gpu = {
      devices = [ "nvidia" ];
      mode = "nvidia";
    };
    programs = [ "steam" ];
    servers = [ "dbus" "tailscale" "sunshine" "openssh" ];
    virtualizations = [ "docker" "libvirt" ];
  };

  home = {
    ai = [ "codex" ];
    coding = [ "nvim" "vscode" ];
    fileManager = [ "yazi" ];
    programs = [ "clash-verge-rev" "chrome" "quickemu" "obs-studio" "splayer" ];
    terminal = "kitty";
  };
};

modules/nixos/system/resolve.nix reads modules.system and imports modules/nixos/system/<group>/<name>.nix.

modules/nixos/home/resolve.nix reads modules.home and imports modules/nixos/home/<group>/<name>.nix. A few mappings are intentionally derived:

• home.fileManager maps to modules/nixos/home/file-manager/
• the home display module follows modules.system.display
• the home shell module follows user.shell

Stable And Unstable Packages

This repository uses both stable nixpkgs and nixpkgs-unstable.

• pkgs: the default package set from the primary nixpkgs input. System services, core system capabilities, and most modules should use this package set.
• pkgsUnstable: a separate package set for a small number of fast-moving home-side leaf packages, such as CLI or GUI tools.

System services and core system capabilities should not be moved to unstable by default. For example, the codex home module can use pkgsUnstable without changing the package set used by system modules.

Usage

sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake "path:$PWD#<hostName>"

Builds and switches the NixOS system configuration exported as nixosConfigurations.desktop. Home Manager is integrated into the NixOS configuration, so this command also switches the user Home Manager configuration from host/home.nix.

home-manager switch --flake "path:$PWD#<userName>@<hostName>"

Builds and switches the standalone Home Manager configuration exported as homeConfigurations.<userName>@<hostName>. This output is kept as a fallback or debugging entrypoint; the normal workflow is nixos-rebuild switch.

nix flake update nixpkgs-unstable

Updates only the nixpkgs-unstable input in flake.lock, leaving the primary stable nixpkgs input unchanged.

<hostName> comes from hostConfig.hostName in host/meta.nix. <userName>@<hostName> comes from user.name and hostName.

Tips: if fetch go tools timeouted, try export GOPROXY=https://goproxy.cn,direct

Template: Niri With DMS

template/desktop/ is a desktop configuration template for a Niri + Dank Material Shell Wayland setup. It is not active by itself; copy or adapt it when creating host/.

Area	Selection
Display / compositor	Niri
Shell / desktop UI	Dank Material Shell
Greeter	Dank Material Shell greeter on Niri
GPU	NVIDIA
Shell	fish
Terminal	kitty
Editor	Neovim, VS Code FHS
File manager	yazi
Browser	Google Chrome
AI CLI	Codex from pkgsUnstable
Gaming	Steam
Virtualization	Docker, libvirt, QEMU, virt-manager, Quickemu, Quickgui
Remote / network services	OpenSSH, Tailscale, Sunshine
Media / creator tools	OBS Studio, SPlayer
Proxy GUI	clash-verge-rev
Input method	fcitx5 with Chinese addons and Rime