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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/manual')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/src/SUMMARY.md.in | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/src/design/design.md | 39 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/src/design/overview.md | 20 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/src/design/store/store.md | 2 |
4 files changed, 39 insertions, 25 deletions
diff --git a/doc/manual/src/SUMMARY.md.in b/doc/manual/src/SUMMARY.md.in index 9cde44a0d..ec457126a 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/SUMMARY.md.in +++ b/doc/manual/src/SUMMARY.md.in @@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ - [Environment Variables](installation/env-variables.md) - [Upgrading Nix](installation/upgrading.md) - [Design and Data Model](design/design.md) - - [Overview](design/overview.md) - - [The Store Layer](design/store/store.md) + - [Store](design/store/store.md) - [Store Objects](design/store/objects.md) - [Store Paths](design/store/paths.md) - [Nix Archives](design/store/nar.md) diff --git a/doc/manual/src/design/design.md b/doc/manual/src/design/design.md index f5135bc9a..960a68f41 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/design/design.md +++ b/doc/manual/src/design/design.md @@ -1,6 +1,41 @@ # Design and Data Model -Most of the manual is about how to use Nix. This chapter is about the technical principles behind Nix. -It describes each architectural layer and its components in its own section, starting at the bottom with the store layer, then working its way up to the user-facing components described in the rest of the manual. +## Architecture + +Nix consists of hierarchical [layers](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multitier_architecture#Layers). + +``` + [ commmand line interface ] + | + | evaluates + V + [ configuration language ] + | + | evaluates to + | + reference V build +[ build inputs ] --> [ build plans ] --> [ build results ] + \ | / + \ | persisted to / + \ V / + [ store ] +``` + +At the top is the *command line interface*, translating from invocations of Nix executables to interactions with the underlying layers. + +Below that is the *Nix language*, a [purely functional programming](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purely_functional_programming) language. +It is used to compose expressions which ultimately evaluate to self-contained *build steps*, used to derive *build results* from referenced *build inputs*. + +::: {.note} +The Nix language itself does not have a notion of *packages* or *configurations*. +As far as we are concerned here, the inputs and results of a derivation are just data. +In practice this amounts to a set of files in a file system. +::: + +The command line and Nix language are what users interact with most. + +Underlying everything is the *Nix store*, a mechanism to keep track of build plans, data, and references between them. +It can also execute *build instructions*, captured in the build plans, to produce new data. + diff --git a/doc/manual/src/design/overview.md b/doc/manual/src/design/overview.md deleted file mode 100644 index b5f8b6aad..000000000 --- a/doc/manual/src/design/overview.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,20 +0,0 @@ -# Overview - -Nix consists of layers that operate fairly independently. - -At the top is the *command line interface*, translating from invocations of Nix executables to interactions with the underlying layers. - -Below that is the *Nix language*, a [purely functional programming](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purely_functional_programming) language. -It is used to compose expressions which ultimately evaluate to self-contained *build steps*, used to derive *build results* from referenced *build inputs*. - -::: {.note} -The Nix language itself does not have a notion of *packages* or *configurations*. -As far as we are concerned here, the inputs and results of a derivation are just data. -In practice this amounts to a set of files in a file system. -::: - -The command line and Nix language are what users interact with most. - -Underlying everything is the *Nix store*, a mechanism to keep track of build plans, data, and references between them. -It can also execute *build instructions*, captured in the build plans, to produce new data. - diff --git a/doc/manual/src/design/store/store.md b/doc/manual/src/design/store/store.md index 458c1e2b8..d4add52f5 100644 --- a/doc/manual/src/design/store/store.md +++ b/doc/manual/src/design/store/store.md @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -# Nix Store +# Store A Nix store is a collection of *store objects* referred to by *store paths*. Every store also has a "store directory path", which is a path prefix used for various purposes. |