Nix, The Build-Everything Language (with Julian Arni)

March 27, 2025 · 1 h 21 min

Show notes

Ever since we invented makefiles, the programming world has been wrestling with the problem of building software stacks reliably. This week we’re going to look at one of the most ambitious solutions available - Nix. Nix tries to do everything from invoking your compiler to installing your language, and even providing your operating system. But how does it work in theory, and how well does it work in practice?

Joining me to discuss is Julian Arni, a Nix-enthusiast and creator of a build/test/deploy service called Garnix.

Nix has been one of my go-to tools for years - I hope it’ll find its way into your stack.

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Nix Overview: https://nixos.org/explore/

Nix Tutorial: https://nix.dev/tutorials/first-steps/

Nix Flakes: https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes

The Nix Package List: https://search.nixos.org/packages

Garnix.IO: https://garnix.io/

Julian’s NixCon Talk, Call by Hash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU9ogB9hZZA

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Kris on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/krisajenkins.bsky.social