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| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/src/glossary.md | 17 |
1 files changed, 8 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/doc/manual/src/glossary.md b/doc/manual/src/glossary.md index 1256b272f..c916af4bc 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/glossary.md +++ b/doc/manual/src/glossary.md @@ -135,14 +135,13 @@ then be built. - [reference]{#gloss-reference}\ - A store path `P` is said to have a reference to a store path `Q` if - the store object at `P` contains the path `Q` somewhere. The - *references* of a store path are the set of store paths to which it - has a reference. + A [store object] `O` is said to have a *reference* to a store object `P` if a [store path] to `P` appears in the contents of `O`. - A derivation can reference other derivations and sources (but not - output paths), whereas an output path only references other output - paths. + Store objects can refer to both other store objects and themselves. + References from a store object to itself are called *self-references*. + References other than a self-reference must not form a cycle. + + [reference]: #gloss-reference - [reachable]{#gloss-reachable}\ A store path `Q` is reachable from another store path `P` if `Q` @@ -159,8 +158,8 @@ files could be missing. The command `nix-store -qR` prints out closures of store paths. - As an example, if the store object at path `P` contains a reference - to path `Q`, then `Q` is in the closure of `P`. Further, if `Q` + As an example, if the [store object] at path `P` contains a [reference] + to a store object at path `Q`, then `Q` is in the closure of `P`. Further, if `Q` references `R` then `R` is also in the closure of `P`. [closure]: #gloss-closure |