Whether you’re a new or returning user, we’re thrilled you’ve decided to pick up Lix!

Lix works out-of-the-box on most Linux and MacOS systems, including with system management tools such as home-manager and nix-darwin – but, like any Nix-based system, some Nix background knowledge is recommended before installation.

If you’re new to the Nix ecosystem, you may want to check out some community resources first, to get familiar with how Nix works.

On NixOS

If you haven’t already installed NixOS, do so using any upstream install image and the instructions in the NixOS Manual. Then, follow the instructions for either:

• flake-based configurations; or
• non-flake configurations

depending on how you prefer to configure your system.

On an Existing nix-darwin Install

If you already have a nix-darwin installation, you can use the same instructions as installing on a NixOS-based system. Follow the instructions for either:

• flake-based configurations; or
• non-flake configurations

depending on how you prefer to configure your system.

On Any Other Linux/MacOS System

You can either perform a new install, or choose to upgrade an existing install to Lix.

New Installs

The easiest way to install Lix is to use the Lix Installer¹. Open a terminal, and run the following command:

curl -sSf -L https://install.lix.systems/lix | sh -s -- install

The installer will guide you through installing Lix – and once it’s finished, you’ll have a full, working installation. If you’re not sure what to do, now is a great time to check out some of the community’s resources on Nix.

Existing Installs

If you have an existing Nix installation, you should be able to upgrade by using a variant of the upgrade-nix command.

Thanks to Nix, we can actually ask Lix to upgrade your system directly. Run the following command:

sudo nix run \
     --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
     --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems \
     --trusted-public-keys "cache.nixos.org-1:6NCHdD59X431o0gWypbMrAURkbJ16ZPMQFGspcDShjY= cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" \
     'git+https://git@git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix?ref=refs/tags/2.90-beta.0' -- \
     upgrade-nix

You should now have upgraded to Lix! You can verify this by asking the nix command to report its version:

$ nix --version
nix (Lix, like Nix) 2.90.0-beta.1

As long as you see Lix in the output, you’re good! If you’re not sure what to do now, it’s a great time to check out some of the community’s resources on Nix.

Having Trouble?

If you’re having difficulty installing Lix, don’t panic! Hop on over to our community page, and check out the various ways to find help.

Feedback?

If you have thoughts on these instructions, feel free to drop by our community, or to make a pull request to our website!