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authorEelco Dolstra <edolstra@gmail.com>2020-07-22 20:27:23 +0200
committerEelco Dolstra <edolstra@gmail.com>2020-07-23 18:26:48 +0200
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+Title: nix-copy-closure
+
+# Name
+
+`nix-copy-closure` - copy a closure to or from a remote machine via SSH
+
+# Synopsis
+
+`nix-copy-closure` [`--to` | `--from`] [`--gzip`] [`--include-outputs`] [`--use-substitutes` | `-s`] [`-v`] _user@machine_ _paths_
+
+# Description
+
+`nix-copy-closure` gives you an easy and efficient way to exchange
+software between machines. Given one or more Nix store _paths_ on the
+local machine, `nix-copy-closure` computes the closure of those paths
+(i.e. all their dependencies in the Nix store), and copies all paths
+in the closure to the remote machine via the `ssh` (Secure Shell)
+command. With the `--from` option, the direction is reversed: the
+closure of _paths_ on a remote machine is copied to the Nix store on
+the local machine.
+
+This command is efficient because it only sends the store paths
+that are missing on the target machine.
+
+Since `nix-copy-closure` calls `ssh`, you may be asked to type in the
+appropriate password or passphrase. In fact, you may be asked _twice_
+because `nix-copy-closure` currently connects twice to the remote
+machine, first to get the set of paths missing on the target machine,
+and second to send the dump of those paths. If this bothers you, use
+`ssh-agent`.
+
+# Options
+
+*`--to`*
+: Copy the closure of _paths_ from the local Nix store to the Nix
+ store on _machine_. This is the default.
+
+*`--from`*
+: Copy the closure of _paths_ from the Nix store on _machine_ to the
+ local Nix store.
+
+*`--gzip`*
+: Enable compression of the SSH connection.
+
+*`--include-outputs`*
+: Also copy the outputs of store derivations included in the closure.
+
+*`--use-substitutes` / `-s`*
+: Attempt to download missing paths on the target machine using Nix’s
+ substitute mechanism. Any paths that cannot be substituted on the
+ target are still copied normally from the source. This is useful,
+ for instance, if the connection between the source and target
+ machine is slow, but the connection between the target machine and
+ `nixos.org` (the default binary cache server) is
+ fast.
+
+*`-v`*
+: Show verbose output.
+
+# Environment variables
+
+*`NIX_SSHOPTS`*
+: Additional options to be passed to `ssh` on the command
+ line.
+
+# Examples
+
+Copy Firefox with all its dependencies to a remote machine:
+
+ $ nix-copy-closure --to alice@itchy.labs $(type -tP firefox)
+
+Copy Subversion from a remote machine and then install it into a user
+environment:
+
+ $ nix-copy-closure --from alice@itchy.labs \
+ /nix/store/0dj0503hjxy5mbwlafv1rsbdiyx1gkdy-subversion-1.4.4
+ $ nix-env -i /nix/store/0dj0503hjxy5mbwlafv1rsbdiyx1gkdy-subversion-1.4.4
+