internal/nix: support older nix versions in DaemonVersion

To check if nix daemon is running, Devbox runs:

	nix store info --json --store daemon

This fails on older versions of Nix for a couple reasons:

- Before Nix 2.19.0, `nix store info` was `nix store ping`.
- Before Nix 2.14.0, the `--json` flag wasn't supported.

Check for both of these versions when constructing the `nix store`
command so it works for Nix versions 2.12 - 2.21+.

Also add a `nix.VersionInfo.AtLeast` method and constants to make
checking for supported major Nix versions easier.

Author: gcurtis

internal/devbox/providers/nixcache/setup.go

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
+	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/debug"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/envir"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/nix"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/redact"
@@ -32,12 +33,14 @@ func (n *nixSetupTask) NeedsRun(ctx context.Context, lastRun setup.RunInfo) bool
 	}
 	trusted, _ := cfg.IsUserTrusted(ctx, n.username)
 	if trusted {
+		debug.Log("nixcache: skipping setup task nixcache-setup-nix: user %s is already trusted", n.username)
 		return false
 	}
 
 	if _, err := nix.DaemonVersion(ctx); err != nil {
 		// This looks like a single-user install, so no need to
 		// configure the daemon.
+		debug.Log("nixcache: skipping setup task nixcache-setup-nix: error connecting to nix daemon, assuming single-user install: %v", err)
 		return false
 	}
 	return true
@@ -65,12 +68,14 @@ type awsSetupTask struct {
 func (a *awsSetupTask) NeedsRun(ctx context.Context, lastRun setup.RunInfo) bool {
 	// This task only needs to run once.
 	if !lastRun.Time.IsZero() {
+		debug.Log("nixcache: skipping setup task nixcache-setup-aws: setup was already run at %s", lastRun.Time)
 		return false
 	}
 
 	// No need to configure the daemon if this looks like a single-user
 	// install.
 	if _, err := nix.DaemonVersion(ctx); err != nil {
+		debug.Log("nixcache: skipping setup task nixcache-setup-aws: error connecting to nix daemon, assuming single-user install: %v", err)
 		return false
 	}
 	return true

internal/devpkg/narinfo_cache.go

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/featureflag"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/lock"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/nix"
-	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/vercheck"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 )
 
@@ -206,8 +205,8 @@ func (p *Package) sysInfoIfExists() (*lock.SystemInfo, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// enable for nix >= 2.17
-	if vercheck.SemverCompare(version, "2.17.0") < 0 {
+	// disable for nix < 2.17
+	if !version.AtLeast(nix.Version2_17) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 

internal/nix/install.go

@@ -20,14 +20,11 @@ import (
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/build"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/cmdutil"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/fileutil"
+	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/redact"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/ux"
-	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/vercheck"
 )
 
-const (
-	minNixVersion = "2.12.0"
-	rootError     = "warning: installing Nix as root is not supported by this script!"
-)
+const rootError = "warning: installing Nix as root is not supported by this script!"
 
 // Install runs the install script for Nix. daemon has 3 states
 // nil is unset. false is --no-daemon. true is --daemon.
@@ -111,19 +108,20 @@ func EnsureNixInstalled(writer io.Writer, withDaemonFunc func() *bool) (err erro
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
-		version := ""
+
+		var version VersionInfo
 		version, err = Version()
 		if err != nil {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("failed to get nix version: %w", err)
+			err = redact.Errorf("nix: ensure install: get version: %w", err)
 			return
 		}
 
 		// ensure minimum nix version installed
-		if vercheck.SemverCompare(version, minNixVersion) < 0 {
+		if !version.AtLeast(MinVersion) {
 			err = usererr.New(
 				"Devbox requires nix of version >= %s. Your version is %s. "+
 					"Please upgrade nix and try again.\n",
-				minNixVersion,
+				MinVersion,
 				version,
 			)
 			return

internal/nix/nix.go

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/featureflag"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/usererr"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/redact"
+	"golang.org/x/mod/semver"
 
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/debug"
 )
@@ -174,6 +175,22 @@ func SystemIsLinux() bool {
 	return strings.Contains(System(), "linux")
 }
 
+// All major Nix versions supported by Devbox.
+const (
+	Version2_12 = "2.12.0"
+	Version2_13 = "2.13.0"
+	Version2_14 = "2.14.0"
+	Version2_15 = "2.15.0"
+	Version2_16 = "2.16.0"
+	Version2_17 = "2.17.0"
+	Version2_18 = "2.18.0"
+	Version2_19 = "2.19.0"
+	Version2_20 = "2.20.0"
+	Version2_21 = "2.21.0"
+
+	MinVersion = Version2_12
+)
+
 // VersionInfo contains information about a Nix installation.
 type VersionInfo struct {
 	// Name is the executed program name (the first element of argv).
@@ -210,12 +227,9 @@ type VersionInfo struct {
 	// DataDir is the path to the Nix data directory, usually somewhere
 	// within the Nix store. This field is empty for Nix versions <= 2.12.
 	DataDir string
-
-	// raw is the raw nix --version --debug output.
-	raw string
 }
 
-func parseVersionInfo(data []byte) VersionInfo {
+func parseVersionInfo(data []byte) (VersionInfo, error) {
 	// Example nix --version --debug output from Nix versions 2.12 to 2.21.
 	// Version 2.12 omits the data directory, but they're otherwise
 	// identical.
@@ -232,13 +246,17 @@ func parseVersionInfo(data []byte) VersionInfo {
 	// State directory: /nix/var/nix
 	// Data directory: /nix/store/m0ns07v8by0458yp6k30rfq1rs3kaz6g-nix-2.21.2/share
 
-	info := VersionInfo{raw: string(data)}
-	if len(info.raw) == 0 {
-		return info
+	info := VersionInfo{}
+	if len(data) == 0 {
+		return info, redact.Errorf("empty nix --version output")
 	}
 
-	lines := strings.Split(info.raw, "\n")
-	info.Name, info.Version, _ = strings.Cut(lines[0], " (Nix) ")
+	lines := strings.Split(string(data), "\n")
+	found := false
+	info.Name, info.Version, found = strings.Cut(lines[0], " (Nix) ")
+	if !found {
+		return info, redact.Errorf("parse nix version: %s", redact.Safe(lines[0]))
+	}
 	for _, line := range lines {
 		name, value, found := strings.Cut(line, ": ")
 		if !found {
@@ -264,18 +282,21 @@ func parseVersionInfo(data []byte) VersionInfo {
 			info.DataDir = value
 		}
 	}
-	return info
+	return info, nil
 }
 
-func (v VersionInfo) version() (string, error) {
-	if v.Version == "" {
-		firstLine, _, _ := strings.Cut(v.raw, "\n")
-		if strings.TrimSpace(firstLine) == "" {
-			firstLine = "empty nix --version output"
-		}
-		return "", redact.Errorf("parse nix version: %s", redact.Safe(firstLine))
+// AtLeast returns true if v.Version is >= version per semantic versioning. It
+// always returns false if v.Version is empty or invalid, such as when the
+// current Nix version cannot be parsed. It panics if version is an invalid
+// semver.
+func (v VersionInfo) AtLeast(version string) bool {
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(version, "v") {
+		version = "v" + version
 	}
-	return v.Version, nil
+	if !semver.IsValid(version) {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("nix.atLeast: invalid version %q", version[1:]))
+	}
+	return semver.Compare("v"+v.Version, version) >= 0
 }
 
 // version is the cached output of `nix --version --debug`.
@@ -292,28 +313,23 @@ func runNixVersion() (VersionInfo, error) {
 	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "nix", "--version", "--debug")
 	out, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		if errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) {
-			return VersionInfo{}, redact.Errorf("nix command: %s: timed out while reading output", redact.Safe(cmd))
-		}
-
 		var exitErr *exec.ExitError
 		if errors.As(err, &exitErr) && len(exitErr.Stderr) != 0 {
 			return VersionInfo{}, redact.Errorf("nix command: %s: %q: %v", redact.Safe(cmd), exitErr.Stderr, err)
 		}
+		if errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.DeadlineExceeded) {
+			return VersionInfo{}, redact.Errorf("nix command: %s: timed out while reading output: %v", redact.Safe(cmd), err)
+		}
 		return VersionInfo{}, redact.Errorf("nix command: %s: %v", redact.Safe(cmd), err)
 	}
 
 	debug.Log("nix --version --debug output:\n%s", out)
-	return parseVersionInfo(out), nil
+	return parseVersionInfo(out)
 }
 
 // Version returns the currently installed version of Nix.
-func Version() (string, error) {
-	info, err := versionInfo()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return info.version()
+func Version() (VersionInfo, error) {
+	return versionInfo()
 }
 
 var nixPlatforms = []string{

internal/nix/nix_test.go

@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ State directory: /nix/var/nix
 Data directory: /nix/store/m0ns07v8by0458yp6k30rfq1rs3kaz6g-nix-2.21.2/share
 `
 
-	info := parseVersionInfo([]byte(raw))
+	info, err := parseVersionInfo([]byte(raw))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("got parse error:", err)
+	}
 	if got, want := info.Name, "nix"; got != want {
 		t.Errorf("got Name = %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
@@ -116,7 +119,10 @@ Data directory: /nix/store/m0ns07v8by0458yp6k30rfq1rs3kaz6g-nix-2.21.2/share
 }
 
 func TestParseVersionInfoShort(t *testing.T) {
-	info := parseVersionInfo([]byte("nix (Nix) 2.21.2"))
+	info, err := parseVersionInfo([]byte("nix (Nix) 2.21.2"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("got parse error:", err)
+	}
 	if got, want := info.Name, "nix"; got != want {
 		t.Errorf("got Name = %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
@@ -125,33 +131,59 @@ func TestParseVersionInfoShort(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestParseVersionInfoEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	// Don't panic.
-	parseVersionInfo(nil)
-	parseVersionInfo([]byte{})
-}
-
-func TestVersionInfoVersion(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Run("Valid", func(t *testing.T) {
-		info := VersionInfo{Version: "2.21.0"}
-		got, err := info.version()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Error("got error:", err)
-		}
-		if got != info.Version {
-			t.Fatalf("got version %q, want %q", got, info.Version)
+func TestParseVersionInfoError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("NilOutput", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := parseVersionInfo(nil)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Error("want non-nil error")
 		}
 	})
-
-	t.Run("Empty", func(t *testing.T) {
-		info := VersionInfo{}
-		if _, err := info.version(); err == nil {
+	t.Run("EmptyOutput", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := parseVersionInfo([]byte{})
+		if err == nil {
 			t.Error("want non-nil error")
 		}
-
-		info.raw = "nix output without a version"
-		if _, err := info.version(); err == nil {
+	})
+	t.Run("MissingVersionOutput", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := parseVersionInfo([]byte("nix output without a version"))
+		if err == nil {
 			t.Error("want non-nil error")
 		}
 	})
 }
+
+func TestVersionInfoAtLeast(t *testing.T) {
+	info := VersionInfo{}
+	if info.AtLeast(Version2_12) {
+		t.Errorf("got empty current version >= %s", Version2_12)
+	}
+
+	info.Version = Version2_13
+	if !info.AtLeast(Version2_12) {
+		t.Errorf("got %s < %s", info.Version, Version2_12)
+	}
+	if !info.AtLeast(Version2_13) {
+		t.Errorf("got %s < %s", info.Version, Version2_13)
+	}
+	if info.AtLeast(Version2_14) {
+		t.Errorf("got %s >= %s", info.Version, Version2_14)
+	}
+
+	t.Run("ArgEmptyPanic", func(t *testing.T) {
+		defer func() {
+			if r := recover(); r == nil {
+				t.Error("want panic for empty version")
+			}
+		}()
+		info.AtLeast("")
+	})
+	t.Run("ArgInvalidPanic", func(t *testing.T) {
+		v := "notasemver"
+		defer func() {
+			if r := recover(); r == nil {
+				t.Errorf("want panic for invalid version %q", v)
+			}
+		}()
+		info.AtLeast(v)
+	})
+}

internal/nix/store.go

@@ -120,7 +120,22 @@ func (e *DaemonError) Redact() string {
 
 // DaemonVersion returns the version of the currently running Nix daemon.
 func DaemonVersion(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
-	cmd := commandContext(ctx, "store", "info", "--json", "--store", "daemon")
+	// We only need the version to decide which CLI flags to use. We can
+	// ignore the error because an empty version assumes nix.MinVersion.
+	cliVersion, _ := Version()
+
+	storeCmd := "ping"
+	if cliVersion.AtLeast(Version2_19) {
+		// "nix store ping" is deprecated as of 2.19 in favor of
+		// "nix store info".
+		storeCmd = "info"
+	}
+	canJSON := cliVersion.AtLeast(Version2_14)
+
+	cmd := commandContext(ctx, "store", storeCmd, "--store", "daemon")
+	if canJSON {
+		cmd.Args = append(cmd.Args, "--json")
+	}
 	out, err := cmd.Output()
 
 	// ExitError means the command ran, but couldn't connect.
@@ -139,9 +154,27 @@ func DaemonVersion(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 		return "", redact.Errorf("command %s: %s", redact.Safe(cmd), err)
 	}
 
-	info := struct{ Version string }{}
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(out, &info); err != nil {
-		return "", redact.Errorf("%s: unmarshal JSON output: %s", redact.Safe(cmd.String()), err)
+	if len(out) == 0 {
+		return "", redact.Errorf("command %s: empty output", redact.Safe(cmd), err)
+	}
+	if canJSON {
+		info := struct{ Version string }{}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(out, &info); err != nil {
+			return "", redact.Errorf("command %s: unmarshal JSON output: %s", redact.Safe(cmd), err)
+		}
+		return info.Version, nil
+	}
+
+	// Example output:
+	//
+	// Store URL: daemon
+	// Version: 2.21.1
+	lines := strings.Split(string(out), "\n")
+	for _, line := range lines {
+		name, value, found := strings.Cut(line, ": ")
+		if found && name == "Version" {
+			return value, nil
+		}
 	}
-	return info.Version, nil
+	return "", redact.Errorf("parse nix daemon version: %s", redact.Safe(lines[0]))
 }