How to get support for more NixOS architectures

[brsvh]

Presently, when using mkLinuxSystem, the system parameter is look like hardcoded to x86_64-linux.

https://github.com/srid/nixos-flake/blob/d54b31a542f9d34e051f434806b607e70835adb1/flake-module.nix#L124-L129

What should I do if I desire to create host configurations for other architectures like aarch64-linux?

I am try to use nixpkgs.lib.makeOverridable and then update system attribute, but I don't know if that's right because I am Nix noob.

I have noticed that the darwin generator has a system parameter, and I think it might be possible to add a similar parameter to mkLinuxSystem and set a default value to x86_64-linux to keep compatibility with existed configurations.

[srid]

I have noticed that the darwin generator has a system parameter, and I think it might be possible to add a similar parameter to mkLinuxSystem and set a default value to x86_64-linux to keep compatibility with existed configurations.

Sounds good to me, PR welcome!

[srid]

Alternatively, or in addition, we can expose the specialArgsFor set from lib.

[brsvh]

I am not certain about the specific implementation details. To implement the goal of passing system, mod (imports), and specialArgs to mkLinuxSystem, it would be necessary to pass an attribute set when calling the function. This might introduce some potential break changes that I initially wanted to avoid.

And it doesn't look different from using nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem directly.

In fact, I just discovered a few hours ago that setting default values for function parameters is only possible within an attribute set (Maybe it can be set via the let scope, but it doesn't matter).

[srid]

nixos-flake's API is not stablized, so it is fine to introduce breaking changes.

And it doesn't look different from using nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem directly.

Hence, exposing the specialArgsFor set from lib should be sufficient. Then you can just use

inputs.nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem { 
   system = "aarch64-linux"; 
   specialArgs = inputs.nixpkgs.nixos-flake.lib.specialArgsFor.nixos; 
   modules = [ ({
    # My configuration ...
   }) ]; 
 }; 

[srid]

Hence, exposing the specialArgsFor set from lib should be sufficient. Then you can just use

inputs.nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem { 
   system = "aarch64-linux"; 
   specialArgs = inputs.nixpkgs.nixos-flake.lib.specialArgsFor.nixos; 
   modules = [ ({
    # My configuration ...
   }) ]; 
 }; 

I've implemented this in fed6487

[srid]

https://github.com/srid/nixos-flake/pull/28

[srid]

df6fe273ff64dc29de2c93805045b5348d70bc26