github.com/NixOS/nix ↗

About NixOS/nix

Nix is a powerful package manager for Linux and Unix systems designed to make software package management reliable and reproducible. Written in C++, it implements a purely functional approach to package management, meaning packages are defined declaratively and built in an isolated, deterministic way. This functional programming model ensures that the same package definition always produces identical results, eliminating common "works on my machine" problems.

The project was originally created by Eelco Dolstra as the subject of his PhD thesis on purely functional software deployment and has grown into a mature ecosystem maintained by a worldwide developer community. Beyond the core package manager, the project supports Nixpkgs, described as the largest and most up-to-date free software repository in the world, and NixOS, a Linux distribution that can be configured entirely through declarative configuration files. The system appeals to developers and system administrators seeking reproducible builds, reliable deployments, and precise control over dependencies.

Installation and learning resources are available through nix.dev, which provides both setup instructions and beginner tutorials. The project maintains comprehensive reference documentation and active community support through Discourse and Matrix chat channels. Nix is released under the LGPL v2.1 license and welcomes contributions from the developer community.