DOSSIER 18 / 5 ARTICLES
Nix commands and long-term maintenance
Connect the command reference, nh, generation cleanup, and configuration organization.
Start with the first articleFollow the question further.
Organize everyday system maintenance around the NixOS MOC's learning path, from declarative and reproducible systems through the language and Flakes to user configuration. Treat rollback, store garbage collection, and data backup separately.
- 01
Use the six-module sequence to identify which configuration layers you already understand.
A NixOS learning roadmap: foundations, Flakes, user configuration, and beyond
Retain six learning modules, language ecosystems, and advanced resources, with clear prerequisites and progression.
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Before looking up flags, identify the new or legacy CLI and the specific tool version.
Nix commands explained: builds, environments, profiles, and systems
Retain new and legacy CLI commands, store operations, system installation, and Home Manager commands while clarifying easily confused flags.
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Choose build, switch, or clean, and check extended search features against the installed version.
nh: a unified workflow for Nix systems, users, and cleanup
Cover nh commands, module options, specialisations, search, environment variables, and upstream contribution guidance.
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Decide which generations to keep before deleting references and reclaiming objects.
Garbage collection, store optimization, and rollback generations
Distinguish deleting generation references, reclaiming store objects, and switching to older system configurations.
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Review module organization, automatic updates, security, data backups, and recovery steps together.
NixOS configuration organization, maintenance, and troubleshooting
Retain a complete working checklist for version control, module organization, update backups, secure development, and failure recovery.
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