Bootstrap NixOS with this repo

This guide explains how to install a fresh NixOS system using the flake configuration in this repository.

1. About this repository

This repo contains:

• NixOS host configuration (for example modules/hosts/esquire.nix)
• Disk layout managed by Disko
• justfile recipes to run installation from a live ISO

Quick concepts:

• esquire = NixOS host name
• btrfs = Disko disk key

Both disko-install and disko-install-remount recipes accept an optional flake argument.

In this repository's justfile, both disko-install and disko-install-remount default to flake='.' (the local checkout).

Override with flake=<value> when needed (for example flake=github:dendritic-nix/den).

2. Bootstrap from live ISO (recommended)

Prerequisites:

• Booted into a NixOS installer/live ISO
• Working internet connection
• Correct target disk identified (for example with lsblk)
• You understand the target disk data will be erased

Run this from the installer shell as root:

git clone https://github.com/dendritic-nix/den.git den && cd den
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL
nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" shell nixpkgs#just -c just disko-install-remount <hostname>
reboot

Focus: simply run the just disko-install-remount <hostname> command above (via nix shell).

Important disk note

The esquire host currently forces the disk device to this by-id path in modules/hosts/esquire.nix:

disko.devices.disk.btrfs.device = lib.mkForce "/dev/disk/by-id/nvme-eui.002538ba11b6cb55";

If you install on another machine or disk, update that by-id value to match the actual device.

Post-install verification

After booting into the installed system, run:

findmnt /
findmnt /home
findmnt /nix

All three should be mounted as btrfs subvolumes (@, @home, @nix).

References

• den documentation: https://vic.github.io/den
• Disko: https://github.com/nix-community/disko

Development workflow

Use the shared task runner and git hooks:

nix develop
just hooks-install

Configured hooks:

• pre-commit: just fmt and just lint
• pre-push: just check