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diff --git a/doc/manual/src/release-notes/rl-1.0.md b/doc/manual/src/release-notes/rl-1.0.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..cdb257787 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/manual/src/release-notes/rl-1.0.md @@ -0,0 +1,68 @@ +# Release 1.0 (2012-05-11) + +There have been numerous improvements and bug fixes since the previous +release. Here are the most significant: + + - Nix can now optionally use the Boehm garbage collector. This + significantly reduces the Nix evaluator’s memory footprint, + especially when evaluating large NixOS system configurations. It can + be enabled using the `--enable-gc` configure option. + + - Nix now uses SQLite for its database. This is faster and more + flexible than the old *ad hoc* format. SQLite is also used to cache + the manifests in `/nix/var/nix/manifests`, resulting in a + significant speedup. + + - Nix now has an search path for expressions. The search path is set + using the environment variable `NIX_PATH` and the `-I` command line + option. In Nix expressions, paths between angle brackets are used to + specify files that must be looked up in the search path. For + instance, the expression `<nixpkgs/default.nix>` looks for a file + `nixpkgs/default.nix` relative to every element in the search path. + + - The new command `nix-build --run-env` builds all dependencies of a + derivation, then starts a shell in an environment containing all + variables from the derivation. This is useful for reproducing the + environment of a derivation for development. + + - The new command `nix-store --verify-path` verifies that the contents + of a store path have not changed. + + - The new command `nix-store --print-env` prints out the environment + of a derivation in a format that can be evaluated by a shell. + + - Attribute names can now be arbitrary strings. For instance, you can + write `{ "foo-1.2" = …; "bla bla" = …; }."bla + bla"`. + + - Attribute selection can now provide a default value using the `or` + operator. For instance, the expression `x.y.z or e` evaluates to the + attribute `x.y.z` if it exists, and `e` otherwise. + + - The right-hand side of the `?` operator can now be an attribute + path, e.g., `attrs ? + a.b.c`. + + - On Linux, Nix will now make files in the Nix store immutable on + filesystems that support it. This prevents accidental modification + of files in the store by the root user. + + - Nix has preliminary support for derivations with multiple outputs. + This is useful because it allows parts of a package to be deployed + and garbage-collected separately. For instance, development parts of + a package such as header files or static libraries would typically + not be part of the closure of an application, resulting in reduced + disk usage and installation time. + + - The Nix store garbage collector is faster and holds the global lock + for a shorter amount of time. + + - The option `--timeout` (corresponding to the configuration setting + `build-timeout`) allows you to set an absolute timeout on builds — + if a build runs for more than the given number of seconds, it is + terminated. This is useful for recovering automatically from builds + that are stuck in an infinite loop but keep producing output, and + for which `--max-silent-time` is ineffective. + + - Nix development has moved to GitHub + (<https://github.com/NixOS/nix>). |