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GAMEPLAN.md

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Creating a unified command for all NixOS commands in Zig involves significant effort, and the feasibility of such a project depends on various factors. Here's a game plan to guide you through the process:

Goal:

Create a single Zig command (nixos) that unifies and simplifies common NixOS interactions for better user experience.

Steps:

  1. Research and Familiarization:
    • Gain a deep understanding of NixOS and its various commands.
    • Explore existing tools and commands used in NixOS.
    • Consider upcoming community tools, in addition to mainstreamed tools.
    • Document your findings.
  2. Define Command Structure:
    • Identify the key functionalities of NixOS commands that need to be unified.
    • Design a modular command structure that can accommodate various functionalities.
    • Design for a plugin system to provide a canonical way for community innovations.
  3. Implement Basic Functionality:
    • Start with a basic implementation that can execute simple NixOS commands.
    • Wrap existing (shell) commands to provide significant value quickly before refactoring them later.
    • Focus on functionality such as activation, installation and bootstrapping.
  4. Command Line Interface (CLI):
    • Design a user-friendly CLI with clear and concise commands.
    • Implement options and flags for various functionalities.
    • Roll back on technicisms that require too much prerequisite knowledge and prefer easy, clear commands that are self-explanatory to all user levels.
  5. Handle Configuration Bootstrapping:
    • Address configuration handling, in the context of repository based or local configuration.
    • Develop maintenance mechanisms to maintain and update NixOS configurations using the unified command.
  6. Testing:
    • Implement comprehensive testing to ensure the new command works with various NixOS setups.
    • Incorporate testing into Nixpkgs test infrastructure.
  7. Documentation:
    • Create detailed documentation for the unified command.
    • Include usage examples, command syntax, and potential use cases.
    • Consider automatic source-based documentation tooling to keep maintenance overhead low.
  8. Community Engagement:
    • Share your project with the NixOS community.
    • Gather feedback and suggestions for improvement.
    • Collaborate with the community to refine and enhance the unified command.
    • Write a tutorial how to write a plugin in a language of choice.
  9. Write an RFC:
    • Share your lessens learnt and design choices via the RFC process to the broader community.
    • Request consens on this new endeavor with motion to upstream into Nixpkgs.
    • Remove any blockers for consensus as they come up via the RFC feedback.
  10. Security Considerations:
    • Ensure that the unified command follows best practices for security.
    • Implement safeguards to prevent unintended consequences.
  11. Error Handling:
    • Implement robust error handling to provide meaningful error messages.
    • Include troubleshooting information in the documentation.
  12. Optimization and Performance:
    • Optimize the unified command for performance.
    • Consider caching mechanisms for repeated operations.
  13. Versioning:
    • Implement versioning for the unified command to manage changes and updates.
    • Communicate changes clearly in release notes.
  14. Maintenance Plan:
    • Develop a plan for ongoing maintenance and updates.
    • Consider creating a community-driven project for long-term sustainability.
  15. Release:
    • Prepare for the initial release.
    • Share the unified command through package managers or other distribution channels.
  16. Feedback Loop:
    • Encourage users to provide feedback.
    • Iterate on the command based on user experiences and suggestions.

Considerations:

  • Community Involvement: Engage with the NixOS community early and often to ensure your efforts align with community needs and standards.
  • Backward Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with existing NixOS commands and configurations to minimize disruption for users. To not constrain innovation, use a compatibility frontend / compile target.
  • Forward Compatibility: Cater to flake users by providing a flake-support via a flake-only frontend / build target and avoid flag expansion for that purpose.
  • Usability: Prioritize a simple and intuitive user interface to make the unified command accessible to both beginners and experienced users.
  • Documentation and Support: Comprehensive documentation is crucial for user adoption. Provide support channels for users to seek help and share experiences.

Remember that this is an ambitious project, and collaboration with the NixOS community will be key to its success. Regularly update your progress, seek feedback, and be prepared to iterate on your design based on community input.