mirror of
https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager
synced 2024-11-18 09:09:45 +01:00
63 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
# Using Home Manager {#ch-usage}
|
||
|
||
Your use of Home Manager is centered around the configuration file,
|
||
which is typically found at `~/.config/home-manager/home.nix` in the
|
||
standard installation or `~/.config/home-manager/flake.nix` in a Nix
|
||
flake based installation.
|
||
|
||
::: {.note}
|
||
The default configuration used to be placed in `~/.config/nixpkgs`¸ so
|
||
you may see references to that elsewhere. The old directory still works
|
||
but Home Manager will print a warning message when used.
|
||
:::
|
||
|
||
This configuration file can be *built* and *activated*.
|
||
|
||
Building a configuration produces a directory in the Nix store that
|
||
contains all files and programs that should be available in your home
|
||
directory and Nix user profile, respectively. The build step also checks
|
||
that the configuration is valid and it will fail with an error if you,
|
||
for example, assign a value to an option that does not exist or assign a
|
||
value of the wrong type. Some modules also have custom assertions that
|
||
perform more detailed, module specific, checks.
|
||
|
||
Concretely, if your configuration contains
|
||
|
||
``` nix
|
||
programs.emacs.enable = "yes";
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
then building it, for example using `home-manager build`, will result in
|
||
an error message saying something like
|
||
|
||
```console
|
||
$ home-manager build
|
||
error: A definition for option `programs.emacs.enable' is not of type `boolean'. Definition values:
|
||
- In `/home/jdoe/.config/home-manager/home.nix': "yes"
|
||
(use '--show-trace' to show detailed location information)
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
The message indicates that you must provide a Boolean value for this
|
||
option, that is, either `true` or `false`. The documentation of each
|
||
option will state the expected type, for
|
||
[programs.emacs.enable](#opt-programs.emacs.enable) you will see "Type: boolean". You
|
||
there also find information about the default value and a description of
|
||
the option. You can find the complete option documentation in
|
||
[Home Manager Configuration Options](#ch-options) or directly in the terminal by running
|
||
|
||
``` shell
|
||
man home-configuration.nix
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Once a configuration is successfully built, it can be activated. The
|
||
activation performs the steps necessary to make the files, programs, and
|
||
services available in your user environment. The `home-manager switch`
|
||
command performs a combined build and activation.
|
||
|
||
```{=include=} sections
|
||
usage/configuration.md
|
||
usage/rollbacks.md
|
||
usage/dotfiles.md
|
||
usage/graphical.md
|
||
usage/updating.md
|
||
```
|