Add systemd support for niri with hot reloading#156
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NixOS s `systemd.packages` only scans `$pkg/etc/systemd/<type>/*` and
`$pkg/lib/systemd/<type>/*` (see nixpkgs nixos/lib/systemd-lib.nix
around the `for fn in $i/etc/systemd/${typeDir}/* $i/lib/systemd/...`
loop). The README s documented `systemd.packages = [ x.outputs.systemd-user ]`
was therefore a silent no-op: units placed at `$pkg/systemd/<type>/`
were invisible to NixOS s scanner, so nothing landed under
`/etc/systemd/<type>/`.
Move the writeTextDir target into `lib/systemd/<type>/` so the units
land where NixOS already looks. Tests updated accordingly.
Replaces the previous `filesToPatch` of upstream s
`share/systemd/user/niri.service` with a unit generated through the
`wlib.modules.systemd` helper (now imported by this module).
The new unit:
- bootstraps a mutable runtime copy of the config under
`%t/niri/config.kdl` (= `$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/niri/config.kdl`) via
`ExecStartPre`, and points niri at that copy with `--config`.
- declares `ExecReload` as two commands: re-stamp the runtime copy
from the latest immutable nix-store snapshot, then issue
`niri msg action load-config-file` so niri re-reads the file
without restarting.
- sets `reloadIfChanged = true`. Combined with the upstream nixpkgs
`programs.niri` module, this tells NixOS s switch-to-configuration
to convert every "needs restart" verdict on niri.service into a
`systemctl --user reload`, letting `nixos-rebuild switch` apply
config-only tweaks without dropping the live session.
Shell-launched wrappers retain the upstream behaviour: `NIRI_CONFIG`
points directly at the build-pinned `/nix/store/...niri.kdl`, so the
wrapper script does not depend on `$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR` being set (which
would break under `set -u` in non-systemd contexts -- e.g. the niri
flake check).
Depends on the lib/systemd/<type> unit-dir fix; without it the
generated unit lands somewhere NixOS s `systemd.packages` does not
scan and the whole pipeline is a no-op.
Contributor
|
there's also #135 |
Owner
zimward
requested changes
May 14, 2026
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| ExecStartPre = "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl"; | ||
| ExecStart = "${config.exePath} --session --config %t/niri/config.kdl"; | ||
| ExecReload = [ | ||
| "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl" | ||
| "${config.exePath} msg action load-config-file" | ||
| ]; |
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Suggested change
| ExecStartPre = "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl"; | |
| ExecStart = "${config.exePath} --session --config %t/niri/config.kdl"; | |
| ExecReload = [ | |
| "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl" | |
| "${config.exePath} msg action load-config-file" | |
| ]; | |
| ExecStart = "${config.exePath} --session --config ${config."config.kdl".path}"; | |
| ExecReload = "${config.exePath} msg action load-config-file --path ${config."config.kdl".path}"; |
with niri 26.05 there is no reason to do mutable copies at the config file can just be relocated (infact i implemented that feature exactly for this reason in niri :) )
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| # Systemd-launched session: bootstrap a mutable runtime copy under | ||
| # $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (systemd specifier %t) and point niri at it via | ||
| # `--config`. ExecReload re-stamps that file with the latest immutable | ||
| # snapshot and asks niri to re-read it via IPC, so config-only switches | ||
| # apply without dropping the session. |
Collaborator
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Suggested change
| # Systemd-launched session: bootstrap a mutable runtime copy under | |
| # $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (systemd specifier %t) and point niri at it via | |
| # `--config`. ExecReload re-stamps that file with the latest immutable | |
| # snapshot and asks niri to re-read it via IPC, so config-only switches | |
| # apply without dropping the session. |
no longer relevant
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|
|
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| # Shell-launched wrapper: same behaviour as upstream -- niri reads the | ||
| # immutable, build-pinned config straight from /nix/store. | ||
| config.env.NIRI_CONFIG = toString config."config.kdl".path; | ||
|
|
Collaborator
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Suggested change
| # Shell-launched wrapper: same behaviour as upstream -- niri reads the | |
| # immutable, build-pinned config straight from /nix/store. | |
| config.env.NIRI_CONFIG = toString config."config.kdl".path; | |
| config.env.NIRI_CONFIG = toString config."config.kdl".path; |
this should be obvious. no point in having a LLM comment for it
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